HKNC DBA 2009 THEME


HELEN KELLER DEAF-BLIND AWARENESS WEEK June 21 – June 27, 2009 updates: last modified 06/04/2009

Please join the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC), agencies, and organizations nationally in raising awareness about deaf-blindness and people who live with a combined vision and hearing loss.

The purpose of Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week 2009 is to change the assumption that Helen Keller is the only recognizable person who is deaf-blind. The intent of this special week is to show the diversity, accomplishments and potential of today’s deaf-blind community.

The theme for this year is:

“Deaf-Blindness Didn’t Stop With Helen Keller”

Years after her death, most people still think only of Helen Keller when they hear about a person who is deaf-blind. As a result, they are often unaware that those around them - their coworkers, neighbors, and community members, may also be experiencing vision and hearing loss. From tech savvy teens to baby boomers and older adults, deaf-blindness is non-discriminatory. It affects all ages and all ethnic and cultural groups.

The term “deaf-blind” encompasses many variations of combined hearing and vision loss - from those who are hard of hearing and visually impaired to those who are totally deaf and totally blind. More than a million people in the United States are estimated to be deaf-blind and those numbers are growing steadily.

Helen Keller lived with, and relied on, Annie Sullivan for most of her needs. These days, people who are deaf-blind may live and travel independently. Many attend college, surf the Internet and interact with their family and friends by email, instant messaging, and texting. They are working as teachers, administrators, bakers, computer programmers, paralegals, bookkeepers, illustrators, and more.

For more information on how to participate in the celebration of Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week, including a poster, press release, sample proclamation, and suggested activities, go to www.hknc.org and click on the link to Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week.