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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I want to share this correspondence with you between Richard Payne and a concerned mother because I believe it is some of the strongest evidence as to why we exist and it is really what we are all about.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Well done Richard and keep up the good work!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Can I get an Amen?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Jw<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'>Dr. J. Webster Smith<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'>President, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'>PO Box 458 Athens, OH 45701<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'>740-592-6326<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'>“Changing what it means to be blind”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E'>For more information go to nfbohio.org<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Richard [mailto:rchpay7@sbcglobal.net] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 23, 2011 7:47 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'J.W. Smith'<br><b>Subject:</b> FW: <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Linda Huber [mailto:lsah1852@hotmail.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 23, 2011 2:28 PM<br><b>To:</b> rchpay7@sbcglobal.net<br><b>Subject:</b> RE:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Dear Richard,<br> <br>Thank you so much for your encouraging response. It has been difficult for me to watch my daughter struggle both with her eyes and her emotional stress. She is unsure of what the future holds and seeking answers to questions that may arise about her life. Until now, I had no answers to give her, nor a direction for her to turn to.<br> <br>I appreciate getting your home phone number. I will be calling you, most likely tomorrow as I have the day off from work. Stephanie has an appointment at the Cincinnati Eye Institute on Sept. 27, so I will know more about her current condition then. But as things progress, I also know we need to be prepared for another outcome that may not be as positive.<br> <br>You have given me hope that she can have a good and productive life. Thank you for listening!<br> <br>Linda Huber<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From: rchpay7@sbcglobal.net<br>To: lsah1852@hotmail.com<br>CC: guswhite@juno.com; jwsmithnfb@frontier.com<br>Subject: RE: <br>Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:13:46 -0400<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dear Linda,</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I wish to be the first to tell you and your sister that there is hope. I lost my sight when I was 15 years old. I know blind people from all over the world that have been able to live a great life. I Can help to guide you and her with a wealth of information.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>First contacting others that have walked the same path of life is a great first step. My home number is 937-298-6677 I wish to talk to you and her. I think you have <a href="http://www.nfb.org/" target="_blank">www.nfb.org</a> but that is as great place to visit to get more information.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>We have sever NFB centers that have the best trainers in the world. I would also tell her to contact rehab for the blind. We have a local meeting every second Saturday of the month. The next one is September 10<sup>th</sup> that would be another first step.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Our state convention is the first week end in November it will be in Dayton this would be a great chance to meet blind people from all walks of life. wish to keep in touch and help with this so contact me. Richard</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Linda Huber [mailto:lsah1852@hotmail.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, August 22, 2011 10:11 PM<br><b>To:</b> rchpay7@sbcglobal.net<br><b>Subject:</b> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br>Dear Mr. Payne,<br> <br>Dr. J.W. Smith suggested I contact you since you are the closest in proximity for guidance. I am writing to you about my daughter, Stephanie. She is 30 years old and is gradually losing her eyesight due to a rare condition, limbal stem cell deficiency. She was diagnosed in 2000 and it has slowly progressed to the point that she can no longer drive safely and she is struggling with decisions on how to proceed in her life.<br> <br>She has a BA in English from Wright State University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Library Science. Reading has always been a passion for her and she wanted nothing more than to be educated enough to work in a library. However, continuing her education will accrue more student loan debt and now she fears she will no longer be able to work effectively or even be accepted to work in a "seeing" workplace. The only alternative for saving her eyesight would be a limbal stem cell transplant, but doctors are not even sure that would be successful at this point.<br> <br>She is torn as to what her options are. I told her I would make contact with you to perhaps enable her to more effectively assess what options she may have to even consider working at some point. We live in St. Marys, OH, which is a little more than an hour from Dayton. She is married and her husband is supportive of whatever she chooses to do. At this point, none of us know what to even suggest that she do. I am hoping that by contacting you, I will be better able to give her answers as to what she might be able to do with the rest of her life. <br> <br>I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for your time.<br> <br>Sincerely,<br> <br>Linda Huber<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>No virus found in this incoming message.<br>Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a><br>Version: 9.0.901 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3851 - Release Date: 08/22/11 14:35:00</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>No virus found in this incoming message.<br>Checked by AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</a><br>Version: 9.0.901 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3852 - Release Date: 08/23/11 02:34:00</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>