It’s the first day of school and he is worried about making friends, finding classes, and navigating a world that is literally closing in on him. You are nervous as you watch him prepare for his day even though you have seen him do it many other times. Your son is different. Your son has an invisible disease that is robbing him of his sight. You have to let him go although you know he is going blind. You won’t wave overzealously to him as he smiles eagerly at the stoop of the school. No, you will hide your fear with a haphazard smile and he will crack a cautious grin and wave to you anxiously. You are not sure if you will experience the happy anticipation of hearing how wonderful his day was because his previous school proved to be a terrible experience. You pray a new year and a new school will be the right decision for you both. The question, “Why?” rings in your ears frequently and today is no exception. You know the answer, it’s because he was born with this genetic condition that is stealing his vision. And then that same sickening feeling wells up from your gut and you try to stop yourself from revisiting the same internal battle that steals your sleep. You know the conclusion is always the same, life hasn’t been fair.

When it comes to children diagnosed with a disability that robs them of any physical or mental capability, it is often hard to see the silver lining. The hard truth remains the same, it isn’t fair. It is unfortunate that in our supposedly accepting society, people often prey upon the weak much like a lion attacks the weakest of a herd. Too many continue to act like animals when encountered with someone who shows the slightest fragility. School should be a safe environment for every child but instead many children are teased, bullied, and excluded based on differences. Parents often have to decide if they want their child to continue an education at a school that is adding unwanted stress to already stressful physical or mental health issues.

Yet, it happens every day and the above llustration is a very certain reality for a little boy living with a rare genetic disease. His name is Avery, he is 10, and he was born with a condition called Retinis Pigmentosa. This inherited disease causes severe vision impairment by retinal degeneration of the eye. During the course of the disease, the cone and rod (photoreceptor) cells die which causes a decline in vision. The landscape of life for individuals with this disease slowly turns into a confined view of reality. Life that was once bright and colorful slowly turns into a channel of black.

Avery is as bright and as inquisitive  as any other child his age. Through it all he has tried not to let his disease define him or what he wants to accomplish. But, Avery’s vision is slowly fading and with it, it takes the spirited independence of a little boy. He no longer rides a bike or a scooter because his disease has progressed enough to make these iconic childhood activities risky. At his young age, he now has to be more cautious because even walking into a new environment creates challenges.

And so brings us to Avery’s first day at a new school. He leaves behind students who heckled him for understandable clumsiness associated with his disease, parents who allowed and contributed to the bullying, and impatient teachers. He now has to familiarize himself with a new school, make new friends, navigate a completely different environment, just because he was born with an incurable disease. That is when unfairness is caused by the actions of those who made him to feel unwanted over no fault of his own. Disease and disability are never an elected decision of life, but the unfair treatment makes it seem that way. Teach your children about acceptance. Teach them to love one another regardless of differences. Even a child can be a bright light, and they too can make a difference in someone else’s life. And yes, a bright light for a child whose world is growing dark.

If you wish to support this little boy and his family’s difficulty paying for his medical care, please visit their page:
http://www.gofundme.com/uqm3u7f3u

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