Success Stories
SCCB Services “life changing”
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...
Building skills, restoring confidence, returning to the classroom
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.”...
Tompkins gains skills needed to achieve education and employment goals
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.”...
Training Center helps consumer regain confidence and prepare for future employment
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...
Learning skills helps consumer “feel like myself again”
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...
Student blogs about Summer Teen experience
Landon Bryson is a longtime consumer with South Carolina Commission for the Blind. He began receiving services in 5th grade, when SCCB provided JAWS software and a QBraille...
‘I’m blessed’: Beloved SCDPS vending operator lost his vision at age 47—but found much more in years since
After losing his vision in 2018 at the age of 47, Willie Patrick could have wallowed in self-pity and waited for someone to come along and help him. But recognizing that he...
Living his best life
Jacob Johnson, or Jake, had planned to enter medical school upon graduation from Emory University and become a psychiatrist. However, after a trip to Europe during his junior...
Restoring vision restores independence
A smiling Kenneth Meredith with his dog, Chase. When Kenneth Meredith reached out to the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB), he was at a very low point in his life due to his vision loss. He expressed a lot of frustration and described living as a “daily struggle.” He was no longer...
Assistive tech helps with education and confidence
Landon Bryson. Landon Bryson was referred to the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB) by his school Vision Instructor, Susiene Rayson. At the time, Landon was in 5th grade and doing well academically, but falling behind on his braille assignments due to an improperly functioning Perkins Brailler, a type of mechanical braille typewriter....
A passion for fitness
Michael Cooper became a consumer with the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB) when he was eight years old. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that results in the breakdown of cells in the retina, which is the light sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. It causes...
Consumer comment
The following comment was recently received from a consumer who received SCCB’s Older Blind services: It was my lucky day when a friend gave me your telephone number. I called and [the counselor] made an appointment to come and meet me. She offered suggestions, making my house easy to move around in. She gave...
Helpful Resources
View All ResourcesStay Connected With Us
Sign up today to recieve updates on our latest news and events, delivered directly to your inbox.
Privacy Assurance: We respect your privacy. Your contact information will remain confidential and will not be shared with third parties.