This award recognizes a person who has done
something of significance to promote quality of life
for people who are blind and visually impaired. Dan
Callahan received this honor for creating the National
Tele-Support Network, which provides free, weekly,
support groups to parents of children with visual
impairments. Groups are facilitated by a psychologist
or social worker with input from eye care specialists
and teachers of students with visual impairments and
are provided in both English and Spanish. Groups are
organized around the following conditions:
Retinopathy of Prematurity, Cortical Visual
Impairment, Achromatopsia, Leber���s Congenital
Amarousis, CHARGE Syndrome, concomitant Autism
Spectrum Disorder, and Hermansky-Pudlak
Syndrome.
Jennifer Snyder, a parent, best summarized the
impact of Mr. Callahan���s efforts with the following
comment: ���Having a child with a low-incidence
disability can leave parents feeling isolated and
lonely. The teleconference support group has helped
me find comfort in talking to other parents
experiencing the unique challenges of raising a child
who is blind. After learning of the many
achievements these children have attained despite
their loss of sight, I come away with renewed hope.���
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