As we celebrate this holiday season from home, we want to focus on what’s important: family. Our Blind Children’s Center students and their families have faced a variety of challenges over the past few months, and we need your help to continue to support them. We’d love introduce you to three of our amazing families: the Robinsons, the Forbeses, and the Mubyanas & Rahas.
When Crystal Robinson’s daughter Zariah was born, Crystal was thrilled to be a mother and start their life as a family together. Zariah’s hydrocephalus diagnosis, a condition caused by a buildup of fluid in the brain, was a shock. As Zariah underwent 11 brain surgeries by the time she was three years-old, Crystal knew that she had to stay strong and seek out the best care for her daughter. “My daughter was a fighter,” said Crystal. “I was scared, but I knew how scary this must be for her. I needed to be there for her.”
When we first learned of our son Lincoln’s diagnoses our world came to a stop. Ocular Albinism. Strabismus. Nystagmus. Legally blind. We were bombarded with strange medical terms and an uncertain future. The Blind Children’s Center was a life raft in a sea of questions.
We were immediately put at ease during our tour of the campus. Through every window was a classroom full of happy children surrounded by loving teachers and assistants. Imagine our shock when we saw a 3-year-old girl with the same vision condition as Lincoln running around the infant classroom as though she were fully sighted. This new place was magical. Our fear of the future was replaced by excitement and hope.
When twins Kalifa and Aquila Mubyana were born, their mother Aida Raha knew that something was different about her son Kalifa. “He was weaker than his sister, but the doctor kept telling us ‘our son was fine and boys develop later,’” Aida said. When Kalifa was four months-old, the doctors finally confirmed what Aida already knew: Kalifa was blind. In the following months, he was diagnosed with epilepsy, then an intellectual delay.
Please give today to help us continue to provide critical early education services and family services to families like these. Thanks to the generosity of our board of directors and key donors, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $50,000! Please consider making a meaningful donation to support our students and their families, and join us at Home For the Holidays, a Virtual Celebration with the BCC Family on Thursday December 17th from 5:30pm PST to 6:15pm PST.