Published: June 23, 2009 05:48 pm      

The gift of sight

October 8, 2003 was a day like any other when 16-year-old Kate Cutshaw got in the car and headed to class at East High School in Morristown, TN. In the next few minutes the day became unlike any she had ever lived. She reached down to change the CD and as she looked up the car crashed into a tree.

She was taken to the University of Tennessee Hospital and six days later to a rehabilitation facility in Atlanta. Kate is now a quadriplegic. No longer do her legs and arms function normally. She remained there until March adjusting to this new way of life. Not only Kate but her supportive family went through a learning process too.

Her sister Tiffany was a few years older and the girls had always been close buddies. During the months Kate was recovering she became an aunt when Tiffany gave birth to her first baby. By the time Kate arrived back in Morristown Tiffany would be an even closer caring buddy.

When Kate was seven she was told her vision was so bad she was legally blind and glasses were very important in her life. One of the first things Tiffany did each morning after Kate’s return home was to put her glasses on since this was a task Kate was unable to handle. However, Kate was determined to diaper her new niece and after a long struggle she was successful.

In 2003, the year Kate lost her independence, a vision correction specialist in Kansas, Dr. David Durrie, watched Christopher Reeves deliver a speech on television and he saw his wife position his glasses on his face before he spoke. At that moment the doctor realized how many persons suffering from paralysis had to depend on others for an act as simple as putting on glasses.

Dr. Durrie was inspired to use his skills to give back to the community and he created a non-profit organization Focus on Independence. It would provide free laser or surgical correction to disabled individuals who are unable to use their arms or hands to handle eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Still early in its development the organization had to get the word to other specialist doctors to volunteer their services in this effort. In Crossville Dr. Larry Patterson learned of the program and volunteered. He was told he was the first from Tennessee.

Over in Morristown Kate’s father was searching the web when he found the information about Focus on Independence. In February, 2009, these three players from Kansas, Crossville and Morristown were linked. Kate came to Crossville for an evaluation by Dr. Patterson and later she had lasik surgery on both eyes.

Her final visit was May 27 and she was told she now has 20/20 vision. In an interview she and her sister Tiffany told me how reading has become her favorite pastime. She is going through books at a rapid pace and she said, “These eyes should be good until I’m 50!”

Kate added that she is also practicing doing diapers again so when Tiffany’s second baby arrives in October she will be ready.

To date Kate is one of approximately 40 people who have benefited from the mission of Focus on Independence, to increase the independence of people with spinal cord injuries by reducing their need for glasses and contact lenses through correctional surgery.

Because the program is early in its developing stage their goal now is to raise capital to produce support materials and training programs for interested vision correction surgeons across the country who wish to participate. They also need to add a public relations plan to raise awareness of the program among those who suffer from spinal cord injuries. Their web site is HYPERLINK "http://www.focusonindependence.com" www.focusonindependence.com.