Why Easter is for me

For as long as I shall live, I shall always cherish Easter. For this special season not only brings me joy and peace in the risen Christ, it is also the season that signified the birth of new vision for me. It is the time when I received vision after my first cornea transplant and as I sit here writing this, I can feel the goose bumps sliding down my back and the tears rolling down my cheeks. Ah yes! So many years ago and the memory is as fresh as a breeze in a bottle!

I did not build up my expectations before the surgery. I trusted in God and willed myself to accept whatever came and came it did. The vision did not come all at once and that was good for me as it gave me time to take it all in.

Whenever someone asks me to describe the experience in a few words, my response is: “It was like coming out of the dark and stepping into a world of bright lights. A whole new world and so much for me to explore and experience!” I don’t think that anyone could or would really understand what it meant to me but this is what it was.

A world of exploding colors; bright red roses, golden yellow sun, fresh green grass, skies so blue, snowflakes so white and pure, and most of all the faces of my parents and friends. There was so much for me to see and at times I felt so overwhelmed; just like a kid in a candy shop! I would walk along the sidewalks in Montreal and simply treat myself to looking at passersby. I would watch TV and simply adore my Montreal Canadiens hockey team playing their hearts out! They would eventually win the Stanley cup that year!

Dad would sit with me and watch patiently as I learned to read the headlines in the newspapers. Mom showed me pictures in magazines. Char, my best friend, taught me how to roller skate and play basketball. She and Jennifer taught me how to read and write and Char spent countless hours helping me to discover and explore downtown Montreal. I played ball and Frisbee in the park with my parents and friends and the most memorable?

Easter Sunday at Mass at Loyola’s Chapel and seeing myself in the mirror for the very first time. I realized then what I looked like and then I went to see what my parents really looked like. Everything and everyone was so beautiful.

This is why Easter is for me and shall forever be! The best time of my life! The time that my whole world changed forever!

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and a very happy Easter.

The world of mobile devices

Greetings! I'm Christian Robicheau, assistant editor at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca.
Well, it's another gorgeous Saturday and today I have a really informative editorial for you as written by our esteemed president Donna J.Jodhan.
Scott and I are going to be off for the Easter break so we will take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Easter.
See you in early May.

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The world of mobile devices
By Donna J. Jodhan

So much has opened up for blind and sight impaired persons with the advent of more accessible mobile devices. Devices such as the accessible cell phone that is now able to accommodate access software, GPS devices, PDAs, and now the iPhone and the Ipad.

These are very exciting times and for me it often feels like being a kid in a candy shop not quite knowing what to do or which device to choose and as time marches on, it is only going to get more confusing and even more exciting.

Up until just a few years ago, the world of mobile devices seemed to be a mere blip on the radars of most blind and sight impaired persons but that has all changed and we as blind persons can only hope that with time mobile devices are going to become more accessible to us. It is only natural that some devices may be more accessible than others.

What we have today is a mish-mash of accessibility. Some devices come with software that enables blind persons to navigate menus fairly easily and the help facility is extremely navigable and accessible. Other devices come with manuals on CDs that are also quite informative and accessible while others come with some form of accessibility but they still need to affect improvements in order to make things more usable.

Many mobile devices are multi purpose and this helps to simplify things both for the sighted as well as for the blind. What we have today are devices that offer bundles of functions that includes anything from emailing and surfing to downloading and word processing and texting and picture taking to the playing of music plus so much more. It is only going to get better with time but here is my wish list for the future as it pertains to blind persons.

We need for manufacturers and developers to make their devices accessible all the way.
There needs to be a way for blind persons to be able to afford more of these devices.
More training needs to be made available to blind persons so that they will be able to take full advantage of them.


I'm Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day and weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca and I would be delighted to send you an electronic copy of our latest newsletter.

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna's blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
A monthly editorial on issues on diversity
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca

Accessible all the way

Greetings! I'm Scott Savoy, managing editor at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca
Ah yes! It is a brand new month and I hope that winter is gone for good.
Today, I am pleased to introduce our weekly editorial by our president Donna J. Jodhan and today her editorial focuses on a topic that is very near and dear to her heart.
I wish you a great weekend.

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Accessible all the way
By Donna J. Jodhan

For the past few years, I have been witness to several technological evolutions when it comes to the development to accessible devices for blind and vision impaired persons. This includes such things as mobile devices, some hand held devices, and certain types of kitchen and utility types of devices. Accessible cell phones for blind and vision impaired persons have come a very long way. The same could be said for such things as GPS devices, PDAs, bar code readers, color detectors, plus more.

We have seen the evolution of talking microwaves and timers, other kitchen devices, some remote controls, MP3s, iPhones, and so on. This is all goodness but there still needs to be more work done in order to make devices more user friendly and accessible to blind and vision impaired persons.

I do not doubt that if appropriately sensitized, developers and manufacturers will continue to make their products more accessible but there needs to be a greater push towards this trend; accessibility all the way.

We need to convince developers and manufacturers that there are huge benefits to be derived if they make their products accessible all the way. For not only would it benefit those who are blind and vision impaired, it would also benefit such groups as: The print disabled, those who are deaf/blind, and those with learning and cognitive disabilities and with a rapidly aging population these groups are only going to multiply in numbers.

We need to use these factors to our advantage and start pushing now for accessibility all the way. It is not too late and while we're at it we can expand our efforts to pushing for accessible pin number devices. In this instance, we can include the lobbying of banks and other financial institutions, and manufacturers of pin number readers, point of sale devices, and banking machines.



Who are the ones that are in the best position to push for accessibility all the way? Governments, consumer groups and associated organizations and agencies, and those agencies that work directly with those listed above. Can it be accomplished? My answer is a definite yes and in order to start the ball rolling we as consumers need to make our voices heard by governments, developers and manufacturers, and yes! The media.


I'm Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day and weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca and I would be delighted to send you an electronic copy of our latest newsletter.

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna's blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
A monthly editorial on issues on diversity
http://www.diversityintheworkplace.ca