No one loves their white cane like Emma does!

Emma, now 5 years old, started services with Cleveland Sight Center’s early intervention department when she was a toddler. It was at one of her early intervention home visits where Emma received her first white cane from her early intervention specialist. She named it “Miss Elsa Cane” and brings it with her when going to places she’s unfamiliar with. Kristi, Emma’s mom, thinks naming the cane made Emma want to use it more.

“I think that really helped her love for it, because Miss Elsa became part of our family,” she shares. “It cracks me up, because teachers at school will call for Miss Elsa like she's a person. We've never shied away from it, it's a tool Emma needs, and we’ve embraced that. Miss Elsa Cane is part of our family!”

Like many families involved with Cleveland Sight Center’s early intervention services, both of Emma’s parents are sighted, and didn’t know how to make sure Emma hit her milestones. That’s where Early Intervention comes in! During monthly visits with their early intervention specialist, the entire family learned how to navigate Emma’s vision diagnosis together.

“It didn't help only her, it helped us as parents,” Kristi explains.

Kristi and her husband are originally from Georgia, and don’t have any family in the area.

“Cleveland Sight Center became like a second family for us,” Kristi said. “I think they're an incredible resource for anyone going through vision loss.”

 When Emma was 18 months old, her parents noticed one of her eyes was crossing in. After many tests and visits with doctors, genetic testing revealed Emma has a variant of the CRB1 gene, which causes early onset retinal dystrophy. With this condition, they know she has lost some of her peripheral vision and has night blindness. Emma knows it’s hard for her to see obstacles on the ground when she’s walking and that Miss Elsa helps her find things in her path, like curbs and steps. Right now, she still has usable central vision, but that will not always be the case due to the progressive nature of her condition.

“We love her white cane, and we’re really preparing her for that future of when she will rely on it even more so than now,” Kristi said. 

Their love of Miss Elsa Cane really shines through at Cleveland Sight Center’s annual fundraiser, White Cane Walk! Kristi likes to bring her family to this event so Emma can be surrounded by white cane users like her, who navigate their world independently, like she will one day. She recommends that everyone come to White Cane Walk to immerse themselves in the blind and visually impaired community.

“It's a great way, especially if you're sighted, to learn about the community,” Kristi said. “We've invited friends of ours to come and always say, ‘you know, it's a great way to show your kids, the blind and visually impaired community, and to teach them about people who are different from them.’ To me, it's important for our kids to learn to embrace what's different.”

Cleveland Sight Center is grateful for Emma and her family, for being advocates for white canes, our services and the blind and visually impaired community.

“I want people to learn more about this community. Because Emma's an incredible little girl, and even though she might not see as well as we can, she's still a person, and has a lot to offer to this world.”