Yesterday I was presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal. The award was such an honour and I was pretty excited by both the nomination and the presentation itself. It was a wonderful day with friends and family helping me to celebrate.
The award also gave me cause for reflection. I remember how panicked, confused, frustrated, sad and even diminished I felt when I first experienced lost vision. I had lived my first thirty years as a fully sighted person and I had no idea of what it was like to be visually impaired, legally blind or partially sighted. I would never have made it through those first years without the support of my immediate family. At that time, every step of the way forward was taken after little family conferences around the kitchen table. Even though it was my eyes, my sight loss affected each of us.
It took a while – well, years in fact – before I was able to open up about my sight challenges. When I finally stopped trying to bluff my way, I found additional support from our friends. While family gave me that first emotional support, friends now offered practical help and encouragement.
When my life changed direction all those years ago I never imagined where the path might lead. I have been fortunate. While the King Charles award recognized what I have been able to achieve and to give to others, the award has made me even more cognizant of what others have given to me. I am happy with the award, but I am also grateful when I think that I might have inspired others who are struggling with vision loss. I don’t look at this award as the end of the path. Rather it is a stepping stone in my efforts to promote an awareness of the significance of the white cane and of people who need to use one.
The picture with this post shows Craig Peterson, Executive Director of CNIB for Alberta and Saskatchewan, standing beside me after he presented the award.
Sue with Craig Peterson of CNIB Alberta receiving her Medal
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