Recently on the radio, I heard the voice of Helen Keller, the most famous and influential deafblind person ever. I was filled with emotion and admiration all over again.

One of the fears some of us have is that we will acquire a deaf persons’ voice and feel embarrassed about it. Apparently, Helen Keller herself once said publicly that, if she had a normal voice, how much more she would have been able to achieve for the deafblind cause.

Sorry Helen Keller, you were totally wrong. It is your special individual voice impact that has changed the world for us deafblind. OK so great to make constant efforts to speaking as well and clearly as possible as indeed Helen di with the help of her teacher; but embarrassment or shame about the voice, no way ever.

It’s often forgotten that people with poor hearing or poor sight are actually highly skilled at making the best of both senses. Such expertise is  not needed by those with so called normal hearing and seeing.

Deafblind pride, say I.