[nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: Apersonal reportfrom ChairmanGordon Gund

Steve Jacobson steve.jacobson at visi.com
Sat Apr 23 13:58:14 UTC 2011 

The real question is what would you give to have vision restored?  I don't spend a lot of time thinking about how life 
would be if I could see, and the experiences some have had has not been good.  Still, it would be interesting and in 
time probably helpful.  However, unlike some of the portrayals, I would not risk my health for it, nor would I pay a 
substantial amount of money to have it done.  For example, even if they were to work, I would think long and hard 
before having electrodes implanted permanently in my brain where any sort of infection would be disasterous.  What 
point would there be if it cost so much that I could not afford to drive or even do the things I'm already doing?  The 
idea that vision means we would all get higher paying jobs is simply bogus.  Some of us might, especially if we are 
unemployed, but it isn't something you can count on.  Too often, people don't understand that many sighted people 
have to struggle to make ends meet and there are even some who are unhappy with their lives.  Vision isn't going to 
be a guarantee of anything so one has to keep it in perspective.  On the other hand, I am not bothered by efforts to 
slow up the loss of vision, but feel there should be more honesty as to the outcome.  People who loose vision 
gradually are really in an envious position because the adjustment could be made over time, but it is seldom handled 
that way.  People generally cling to it until it has a major impact on something in their life which is really unfortunate.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:15:13 -0600, Jeanette Fortin wrote:

>there is no way i'd pass up the opportunity  to regain my vision, but i am 
>content to live with what i have.  i do not feel this is a contradiction. 
>most blind folks i know would love to see, but are content not seeing, i 
>cannot imagine turning my back on the opportunity to see.
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Constance Canode" <satin-bear at sbcglobal.net>
>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 8:51 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: Apersonal reportfrom ChairmanGordon 
>Gund


>> If someone came up to me today and said they could give me full sight, I 
>> would tell them unequivocally to get lost.  I am a well-adjusted person 
>> and I have lived my life in a happy and secure manner, I work, own a home 
>> and am happily married.  I have done everything I want to do as a blind 
>> person, travel, shop, etc.  The part of the brain that knows how to see 
>> has never worked on those of us who have never seen anything and it would 
>> be a tremendous aadjustment, the same as a sighted person losing their 
>> vision all at once.  Besides, they are not restoring what you have never 
>> had...sight. What a shock it would be to see a car coming towards you or 
>> your own face.  I have always joked that my face would probably be a 
>> disappointment, another reason that makeup has always been a priority for 
>> me.
>> At 03:45 PM 4/22/2011, you wrote:
>>>I'm  uncertain as to what you mean.  I said I'd rather not be blind. Are 
>>>you saying you prefer to be blind?
>>>
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Gloria Whipple" 
>>><ladygloria at webband.com>
>>>To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 3:25 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: Apersonal reportfrom ChairmanGordon 
>>>Gund
>>>
>>>
>>>>To each his own!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Gloria Whipple
>>>>Corresponding Secretary
>>>>Inland Empire chapter
>>>>nfb of WA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>>Behalf Of John Heim
>>>>Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 12:54
>>>>To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal reportfrom 
>>>>ChairmanGordon
>>>>Gund
>>>>
>>>>Yes, Gloria, call me crazy but I'd prefer not to be blind.  Thanks for
>>>>caring though.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Gloria Whipple" 
>>>><ladygloria at webband.com>
>>>>To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 11:11 AM
>>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal reportfrom 
>>>>ChairmanGordon
>>>>Gund
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Bull. Are you in that category? I feel for you if you are.
>>>>>
>>>>>Sure it would be nice if sight could be given to those who want it, but 
>>>>>it
>>>>>isn't the end of the world!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Gloria Whipple
>>>>>Corresponding Secretary
>>>>>Inland Empire chapter
>>>>>nfb of WA
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>>>On
>>>>>Behalf Of John Heim
>>>>>Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 07:02
>>>>>To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>>>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal report from
>>>>>ChairmanGordon
>>>>>Gund
>>>>>
>>>>>A lot of people don't like being blind. In fact, I would say that most
>>>>>people who are blind would prefer not to be blind.
>>>>>
>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Gloria Whipple" 
>>>>><ladygloria at webband.com>
>>>>>To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 4:19 PM
>>>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal report from
>>>>>ChairmanGordon
>>>>>
>>>>>Gund
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>What in the heck is wrong with being blind!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Gloria Whipple
>>>>>>Corresponding Secretary
>>>>>>Inland Empire chapter
>>>>>>nfb of WA
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>>>>On
>>>>>>Behalf Of S Baker
>>>>>>Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 14:14
>>>>>>To: AMoLList
>>>>>>Subject: [nfb-talk] {Disarmed} FW: A personal report from Chairman 
>>>>>>Gordon
>>>>>>Gund
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>SRBaker
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:00:24 -0500
>>>>>>From: GGund at FightBlindness.org
>>>>>>To: srbaker at charter.net
>>>>>>Subject: A personal report from Chairman Gordon Gund
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Like you, Steven, I follow the work of the Foundation Fighting 
>>>>>>Blindness
>>>>>>closely. As a donor, I want to know that my donations make a 
>>>>>>difference.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>And believe me, they do.  When I reflect on the last year and listen to
>>>>>>this
>>>>>>video, I am reminded that we have more clinical trials for sight-saving
>>>>>>treatments underway than ever before.  Clearly, hope and optimism are
>>>>>>running high.  Incredible strides have been made in the last few years,
>>>>>>and
>>>>>>these remarkable advances would not have been made without your support
>>>>>>of
>>>>>>the Foundation. They include:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Vision Restored.  We are continuing to build on remarkable gains in 
>>>>>>gene
>>>>>>therapy.  As you may recall, in a Foundation-funded trial, 9-year-old
>>>>>>Corey
>>>>>>Haas and 19 others received a gene therapy treatment and can now see.
>>>>>>And
>>>>>>as the trial has expanded, participants have shown sustained 
>>>>>>improvement
>>>>>>in
>>>>>>vision.  Building on this success, similar gene therapy treatments are
>>>>>>moving into clinical trials for choroideremia, Stargardt disease and
>>>>>>Usher
>>>>>>syndrome.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Innovative Technology.  The high-tech industry has a treatment I'm
>>>>>>incredibly excited about-- the world's first commercially available
>>>>>>artificial or "bionic" eye. Early funding from the Foundation was key 
>>>>>>to
>>>>>>getting this engineered retina off the ground.  Building on the studies
>>>>>>we
>>>>>>funded, the light-sensing, implantable "chip" has been tested in a
>>>>>>clinical
>>>>>>trial in Europe with great results. In the study, people who were
>>>>>>profoundly
>>>>>>blind experienced improved vision that could help them to be more
>>>>>>independent.  In fact, many can now see shapes and recognize large
>>>>>>letters.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Groundbreaking Therapies.  A research team funded by the Foundation
>>>>>>Fighting
>>>>>>Blindness developed an innovative technique for correcting the
>>>>>>disease-causing gene by using stem cells derived from a person's skin.
>>>>>>While
>>>>>>more work is needed to ensure safety, this advancement suggests that
>>>>>>doctors
>>>>>>may someday be able to treat a patient's retinal disease using their 
>>>>>>own
>>>>>>skin cells.
>>>>>>These few accomplishments barely begin to tell the story of all the
>>>>>>progress
>>>>>>that's being made.  And this is why words can never express my personal
>>>>>>gratitude for your passionate and committed support.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I hope you will take a few minutes to watch the video and see the 
>>>>>>results
>>>>>>of
>>>>>>your support and the hope it has generated. But most importantly, I 
>>>>>>hope
>>>>>>you
>>>>>>will see that research is progressing at a terrific rate.  It's been a
>>>>>>long
>>>>>>time coming, but we crossed a critical threshold when our researchers
>>>>>>actually restored sight. It launched us into a new era when more and 
>>>>>>more
>>>>>>people will have their sight saved or restored every year.  A lot of 
>>>>>>work
>>>>>>remains.  But we'll get there by continuing to work together.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The Foundation Fighting Blindness values the support you give us by
>>>>>>donating, talking to your friends, and advocating for increased 
>>>>>>research
>>>>>>funding.  As we continue our relentless pursuit to eradicate blindness,
>>>>>>we
>>>>>>hope you will continue your steadfast support of our mission. Thanks 
>>>>>>for
>>>>>>envisioning a bright future for the millions affected by retinal
>>>>>>degenerative diseases.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Sincerely,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Gordon Gund
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Check us out on:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Tell a Friend  |  Subscribe  |  Change email address  |  Unsubscribe
>>>>>>Foundation Fighting Blindness
>>>>>>www.FightBlindness.org
>>>>>>7168 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 100
>>>>>>Columbia, MD 21046
>>>>>>1-800-683-5555
>>>>>>
>>>>>>nonprofit software
>>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>t
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>
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>>>>t
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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