Good morning everyone, I'm hoping to get some help from you all with finding a possible mentor for one of my former students. She completed our program at VRCBVI a couple of years ago and this past May finished up her undergraduate degree. She recently found out that she has experienced additional hearing loss (she received hearing aids towards the end of her training at our Center, and her hearing was functional at the time), and has the potential to lose even more moving forward. She is interested in learning about the potential for using a guide dog with her deaf/blindness, or perhaps begin receiving specialized deaf/blind training. She has the blindness skills mostly under her belt, but has never received help for her loss of hearing. I've put her in contact with another former student of mine with Usher's syndrome, who transitioned from a cane to a guide dog in the last few years, but I'm not sure how much of a response she will receive from that individual. I also sent her contact information for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and for the Helen Keller National Center to begin researching additional training. I was hoping that you all might have an idea for someone you felt I could introduce her to who would be a positive influence or strong role model. In turn arming her with another sounding board for guidance. Please let me know your thoughts and thanks in advance for your time. Take care and talk to you soon! *Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS* *Lead Orientation and Mobility Instructor* Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired 401 Azalea Avenue https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=gmail&source=g Richmond, VA 23227 https://maps.google.com/?q=401+Azalea+Avenue+Richmond,+VA+23227+(804&entry=gmail&source=g (804) 371-3093 <(804)%20371-3093> becky.keller at dbvi.virginia.gov Facebook: VDBVI https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI Worldwide Web: Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired http://www.vrcbvi.org/ YouTube: VRCBVI http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwsqnBw28gUNgMMSkH_eYci37g9XY6Qzd "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." *-Arthur Ashe* **CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE** This message (including any attachments) contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the intended recipient), you may not read, print, retain, use, copy, distribute, or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy all copies of the original message (including any attachments).