CNIB proudly founded by, for veterans
- EFN Staff | November 10, 2015
In honour of Veteran’s Day, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) wants to remind everyone of the services available to veterans in Saskatchewan, along with its long-standing history with veterans.
“The CNIB was not only created by a number of veterans but started after World War I because of the needs of veterans,” said Christall Beaudry, the provincial director of CNIB in Saskatchewan.
CNIB was founded in 1918 by a group of men – several of whom had served in the military – who recognized the need to support their fellow veterans returning home blind after World War I.
Two of the founders were not only veterans, but also lost their eyesight in the war. Alexander Viets was blinded by a mortar explosion in France early in the First World War, and Edwin Baker who served in World War I was wounded at Mount Kemmel, France, and lost the sight in both his eyes. For more information on CNIB’s history go to http://www.cnib.ca/en/about/who/history/Pages/default.aspx
Today, no matter whether their vision loss is combat-related or simply a factor of aging, CNIB offers personalized rehabilitation support to Canadian veterans of all ages – at no cost – to help them lead full, active lives.
“CNIB has a longstanding relationship with the men and women of Canada’s military, and we’re proud to continue that tradition to this day – by reaching out to veterans across Canada, and offering them programs and services that can help them lead full, active lives with vision loss,” said Beaudry.
If you’re a Canadian veteran and you’ve experienced a loss of vision that’s affecting your life, CNIB can help you:
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work through your emotions with support from people who care and understand.
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access helpful products at Shop CNIB, like talking watches and large-button phones. What’s more, the costs of many of these products are covered for you by Veterans Affairs Canada
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build your independence with personalized support in everything from travelling, to cooking, to identifying money.
maintain your love of reading with books, newspapers and magazines in easy-to-use audio at the CNIB Library.
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