Author: Mark Gamble

• Success Stories

Carmelo Yearwood and his mother came to the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB) because he had a severe vision impairment in his right eye and rapidly declining vision in his left due to corneal thinning. Carmelo needed specialized care that his family could not afford without insurance. And without treatment, he could become legally blind.

SCCB’s Prevention Services assists individuals with visual impairments who meet financial need requirements. Through this support, Carmelo was able to receive corneal cross-linking surgery and was also fitted with scleral lenses in both eyes. Scleral lenses are a type of larger, rigid contact lens that improve vision and help protect the cornea.

The result has been “life changing,” says Carmelo’s mother, Alana Jensen.

“One of the most meaningful moments was watching Carmelo look at his hands, seeing them clearly again, and smiling from ear to ear,” she says.Carmelo’s joy and renewed confidence in that moment brought her to tears.

“Carmelo can see out of both eyes again. That transformation is nothing short of a miracle for our family.”

Alana says that even during the most difficult moments, Carmelo never allowed his vision challenges to define him.

“He remained positive, resilient, and determined to keep moving forward.”

At Hillcrest High School, Carmelo balanced demanding commitments and academic performance. He maintained a 4.6 GPA, competed in wrestling, and played an active role in the marching band.

Currently a sophomore, Carmelo plans to pursue a degree in engineering at Clemson University.
“Your support did more than provide medical care,” says Alana. “You gave my son the gift of sight, independence, and a promising future. As a parent, there are no words that can fully capture how much that means to me.”

• Success Stories

Janet Beaudry has had low vision all of her life. She was born with cataracts, which were eventually removed, leaving a lot of scar tissue, and later diagnosed with glaucoma at age 18. However, she was very independent growing up.

“I was able to drive and function,” she says, “but I did need assistance.”

She recalls receiving accommodations when taking the SAT as well as large print books. After college, Beaudry began a career as a preschool and kindergarten teacher, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She also married and started a family. However, while pregnant with her third child, her vision began to deteriorate rapidly. Increased intraocular pressure led to the placement of shunts in her eyes, which ultimately caused a retinal detachment. Doctors told her she would need a cornea transplant.

By age 32, Beaudry’s vision had deteriorated so much that she gave up driving. A few years later, she had the first of three corneal transplants—all of which failed. During this time, her family relocated to South Carolina so she could pursue an exciting teaching opportunity. Unfortunately, as her vision continued to decline, Beaudry had to leave the profession she loved.

Throughout her life, Beaudry believed she could handle anything, especially with her husband by her side. But a few years later when he passed away in 2021, that confidence was deeply shaken.

“When I lost him, I knew I needed to reach out to somebody,” she says. “I had to stand on my own feet.”
That’s when Beaudry came to SCCB. Initially, she just wanted some mobility training, tips to help around the home, and possibly to find a part-time job. What she received was far more than expected.

Following an assessment, Beaudry attended SCCB’s Training Center in Columbia where she learned skills that strengthened her independence and restored her confidence.

“When I first came to the Training Center, I was shy, I was timid, and I was scared,” she says.

One of the most impactful skills she soon learned was navigating with a white cane. “I never walk without my cane,” she says with a big smile. “Without this training I don’t think I would have the confidence to move on to anything else. It made me feel independent.”

She also learned home management techniques and discovered tools that “make my life easier in the kitchen.”

Next, she learned vocational skills including keyboarding and Braille. “I love it! It’s relaxing,” she says. “I enjoy reading Braille and typing in Braille.”

As her confidence grew, so did her possibilities. While discussing vocational options, Training Center staff encouraged Beaudry to consider returning to teaching—something she never imagined would be possible again.

“They told me I had more options than just a part-time job,” she says. “That just amazed me.”
Now, she is pursuing a master’s degree in special education at USC Upstate, specializing in education for individuals who are blind or low vision.

Beaudry appreciates all the assistance she has received from SCCB staff.

Beaudry completed her training at SCCB’s Training Center in December 2025. While she will miss the friends she made at the Training Center, she is excited to finish her degree so she could return to work.

“I don’t think the staff realize what an impact they’ve had on me,” she says. “They are so supportive and willing to help. I feel like myself again.”

• Success Stories

Two very different events affected Kameron Tompkins around the same time: he lost his brother, and his vision began to decline significantly. Both resulted in grief that felt overwhelming, and he didn’t know what to do.

“I lost myself. I didn’t know who I was,” Tompkins says. “I ended up sitting at home, depressed.”

Low vision runs in Tompkins’ family, and throughout his childhood he struggled with vision-related issues. He dropped out of college because he did not have the accommodations and support he needed to be successful. The further decline in his sight was a wake-up call for him. Even if it was hard, he could still try.

“I never wanted to use my low vision as an excuse,” Tompkins says. “I needed to go back to school so I could compete in the job market.”

Tompkins is receiving Vocational Rehabilitation services from SCCB; he is learning Braille, keyboarding, orientation and mobility, and other skills that will help him succeed in school. As his self-confidence has grown, he has become more optimistic about his future.

Tompkins plans to start his bachelor’s degree in psychology this fall through an online program at Arizona State University. He also hopes to earn a master’s degree and become a counselor, either in mental health or in orientation and mobility.

“You can do anything that you put your mind to,” Tompkins says.

He is also the president of the Greenville chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and does outreach for the organization.

 “I want to help people learn that there are resources out there, that losing your vision is not the end.”

SCCB helped Tompkins gain the confidence to work on achieving his dreams. Now, he aspires to spread awareness of the services available and be a role model for others who are blind or low vision.

“After losing my vision, I hid my light for so long that I forgot who I am,” Tompkins says. “Don’t forget who you are when you lose your sight. Don’t hide your light.”

• Success Stories

When Bobby Dixon lost his sight, he was unable to do many of the things he used to do with ease.

“I had a mean look on my face,” Dixon says. “When I first came to SCCB, I felt down. I was getting upset and snapping at my wife and kids. If I tripped or fell, I would get frustrated with myself.”

As part of the Vocational Rehabilitation services he is receiving, Dixon attends the Training Center. At first, he felt embarrassed that he used the walls to find his way. But he discovered that many of the friends he made there also struggled with the same things.

“I was scared they would laugh at me. But when I got there, I found out that everyone was in the same situation,” Dixon says. “When I made mistakes, I wasn’t alone. Everybody was going through the same process.”

Through Home Management and Orientation and Mobility instruction, Dixon gained confidence in his ability to navigate his environment and be independent at home. This will help him as he pursues his employment goal of becoming a merchandising associate.

“They helped me stop saying ‘I can’t,’” he says. “Everybody helped me with my confidence. They refused to give up on me.”

He also learned that the fear of making a mistake shouldn’t hold him back.

“Instead of giving up, I feel the confidence to try,” Dixon says.

His family, friends, and SCCB staff have noticed the change in him. He is more patient, independent, and motivated. “My wife and kids like the way I’ve changed,” he says with pride.

Dixon is grateful for all he has learned and the friends he has made at the Training Center.

He says the Training Center is like “a piece of heaven. You know everybody, you get along, and everybody loves and supports each other.”

• Success Stories

When her vision began to decline in 2024, Belinda Watson found that wasn’t the only thing changing. Her easygoing, friendly personality was giving way to grief.

“Losing my eyesight was an incredibly isolating experience. Nobody knew what I was going through,” Watson says. “It’s a real loss. You go through a grieving process.”

Before coming to SCCB, Watson didn’t have any role models to turn to for guidance—She didn’t know anyone else who was blind or low vision. But over time, she realized that she could still be successful. Since she began receiving SCCB’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services, everything has changed for her.

“They taught me a new way of living,” Watson says. “I shut down when I lost my sight, but I’m feeling like myself again because I know there’s a different way.”

At the Training Center, Watson learned valuable skills like keyboarding, using Fusion screen reading software, and using a white cane to find her way. She now feels prepared to take on new challenges.

The staff she worked with at the Training Center became her role models and inspired her to continue her education. Her goal is to finish her bachelor’s degree and become an Orientation and Mobility specialist.

“I learned from so many people who have low vision who are successful. I want to be able to help people, too, and I hope to work with them someday,” Watson says. “I’m very fortunate that I was able to go to the Commission and have them teach me a new way of living.”