With a connective tissue disorder and Ectopic Papillae et Lentis (dislocated pupils and lenses), Joshua’s experience of the world is a little different from other children. Joshua’s mother Jodi noticed the pupils of her son’s eyes were not in the centre of his irises. By the time he was two years old, Joshua had undergone three surgeries – two of which involved removing the lenses from his eyes. Unfortunately, they were unable to replace the lenses with artificial ones.

When Joshua was just three months old, Jodi needed to place special contacts into his eyes every day. The lenses helped improve Joshua’s vision and prevent complete loss of sight; they were also very expensive. “I’ve heard of families using food banks in order to save money for the lenses,” says Jodi.

Legally blind, Joshua sees best at a foot in front of him but has no useful peripheral vision.

After contacting the Region of Peel’s Social Services, Jodi was directed to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) – a United Way funded agency. Today the CNIB works closely with Joshua. “I wouldn’t have known how to help Joshua without the CNIB,” says Jodi.

The CNIB helped the family teach Joshua how to develop basic abilities by sharing skills, letting them borrow resources, materials and toys. Brightly-lit and sound-making toys help stimulate sight for children with limited vision.

“When Joshua first began learning how to crawl, he used the top of his head like a bumper to feel his way around. By stimulating his vision we taught him to hold up his head, crawl and walk – things most of us take for granted,” says Jodi.

Joshua works with a mobility person from the CNIB who is teaching him how to get around outside using a walking cane. Joshua’s typical four-year-old behaviour has him throwing his cane to the side and running off, sending his mobility worker to chase after him.

The CNIB is also helping set Joshua up at school to ensure he gets the best services possible. “Joshua knows no limitations; he hasn’t known anything but what he has and he works with that so well,” says Jodi. “His kindergarten teacher has no idea what she’s in for.”

Giving to the United Way is about changing lives. Without financial support, programs like the ones Joshua uses will fall to the wayside and people like Joshua will get lost in the system. Visit Pathways for more information about pledging to the United Way.