James Richards

Helping seniors who have recently lost their vision is certainly not an easy task. But CNIB volunteer James Richards is up to the challenge. Along with another volunteer colleague, James helps to facilitate an eight week peer support program called New Horizons, New Dreams, for seniors who have recently experienced vision loss. A former school teacher, James has channeled his experiences with vision loss and his passion for helping others into making the New Horizons, New Dreams program a success. The program provides motivation and resources to seniors living with vision loss, as well as a sense of companionship and mutual support for all the participants. In fact two seniors while travelling to the sessions became fast friends. I put them on the bus, instructed the bus driver where to let them off downtown and which bus to connect with. They became good friends and came to all the sessions together. One day they took the wrong bus and had an adventure, ending up all the way across the city. The next session, listening to them telling of their day, was like listening to two teenaged girls off on a lark.James and his colleague have nurtured friendships and bonds that contribute to the vitality of the program. Each session includes a guest speaker, jokes, and a coffee break, which is aided by the help of a group member. James has been an active CNIB volunteer since 1993, and has come to understand the challenges faced by the participants of the program. I have so much admiration for the many things which people are working so hard to overcome. The gentleman who can hardly walk because of his bent back, the lady who painfully trudges from the lobby with her walker and the woman who tries to adjust her two hearing aids to hear as much as she is able to. James is no stranger to challenges himself, as he too is living with vision loss. i am a very fortunate recovered leukemia patient and I feel that it is a blessing to be healthy enough to help others, states James, I have a form of Macular Degeneration (Retinoschisis), which has thankfully remained fairly stable over the years. I, like so many other clients, experience low vision, but am able to read large print and try to adjust activities to compensate for the vision loss.James not only lends his time to the New Horizons, New Dreams program, he started off volunteering as a friendly visitor and still keeps in touch with both clients/friends. He also volunteers for the annual Crocus campaign and golf tournaments in his area. The New Horizons, New Dreams program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, to be able to help others experiencing vision loss. It is so rewarding to see how happy people are when they find out that visual aids exist that may help them or their family members. James Richards is truly an exemplary CNIB volunteer, who has helped those living with vision loss see more clearly.