Jennifer Stevens is my first Positive Person that I'm featuring.
I was so moved by her story and the wonderful things she is doing.
I went to school with Jennifer from Jr. High to High school. She was one of those girls that I admired from a distance. We weren't really close friends but we exchanged our hellos in the hallways. I remember her mom too. Her mom was always around and I believe she is a big part in her daughter's ability to reach out and touch you.
About a year ago we became friends on Facebook and one thing we had in common was that we became mommies again. Her son Gavin is about 3 months older than my Maddy.
You know that connection you make with your baby when they are first handed to you? Well, Jennifer knew there was something wrong the first time she met her precious Gavin. First of all she is very intuitive (which is a gift) and second of all she has that natural motherly instinct.
No one heard what she was saying when she said there was something wrong. She just knew it! She would share her concerns with the doctors on each baby wellness checkup but they did the normal tests and found nothing. Can you imagine how she felt? Doubting herself? Thinking she was going crazy?
Approximately 4 months after Gavin was born her world was turned upside down. These are her words from her blog, Gavin's Groupies:
"Our world as we knew it, was drastically changed the beginning of February, 2009. We learned our 4 month old son, Gavin, has a retina disease that is robbing his sight. He has little to no vision, and has Leber's Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)."
Did she just sit around and complain? Did she say "why us"? Maybe, maybe not. I know for me, I would have. Even if she did, she picked herself up and did something!
She turned tragic news into a positive thing. She started Gavin's Groupies. She educated herself. She's learning Braille and teaching both her sons braille. She's causing a movement to raise funds for a cure.
Her family is having a Dinner in the Dark as a "Thank You" to those who donate $20 to VisionWalk (click on VisionWalk to go directly to site. Only $20!
My hope and prayer is that we can 1st, appreciate our sight and take in all the beauty that God created for us and 2nd, that we can help educate all on blindness.
Please share this post and pass it on.
xoxo
I tried commenting yesterday but my internet connection fizzled before it posted...rainy, windy weather always makes it 'iffy' at best. I really enjoyed this entry. We have friends who've had children - or they themselves - who've been 'victims' of genetic anomalies...retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma from birth where the child was completely blind by adolescence. Their stories are inspiring in the same sense as to how they never let their disabilities rule their lives. One friend even gets out on the Willamette River and kayaks to stay in shape! Plus helps in the business she and her husband own. Don't ask me how she figures out a lot of the paperwork, but she does! Amaazing woman! Thank you for sharing this, and for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment.
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