Blind Running

Sami Stoner is a legally blind 16-year-old. Sami began running cross-country in eighth grade but her vision had deteriorated by the end of that school year. She was diagnosed with having untreatable Stargardt which is a similar condition that is sight-robbing macular degeneration that affects older adults. Sami has only some peripheral vision. She loves to run and was able to with her friend Hannah. They ran along side each other and Hannah helped her watch out for things, but when Hannah graduated Sami's sophmore year, she couldn't find another way of doing what she loves. That is, until her mobility teacher decided that she was a good candidate for a guide dog. The family trained over the summer for a month and welcomed Chloe into their home. When running together, Chloe watches out for roots and tries to choose the clearest one for Sami. When she moves, Sami can feel it in her harness, so Chloe has ways to signal to Sami.

I think that this is a great story of overcoming difficulties in life. This girl is blind, but she found a way to do what she loves. 


http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45034031/ns/today-today_health/#.TqofRbKwN8Ehttp://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45034031/ns/today-today_health/#.TqofRbKwN8E