The Waimea Lions Club has been dedicated to making a tangible difference in the lives of those with vision impairments. We participate in vision screenings to detect issues early at our local public schools. We collect and clean recycled glasses to be distributed to those in need worldwide.
We are thrilled to share a heartwarming success story from our Waimea Lions Club's vision project. Recently, we had the privilege of assisting a remarkable young student named Aubrey Ewaliko of Waimea Middle School. Aubrey was born with a rare condition called congenital hydrocephalus, also known as “Water on the Brain.” She underwent surgery to help drain the spinal fluid via a VP shunt, which unfortunately malfunctioned five years later. This led to Aubrey experiencing seizures and a stroke, resulting in cardiac arrest and a coma. The after-effects caused Aubrey to lose her sight. Since then she has faced significant challenges in her daily life and academic journey.
Aubrey is excited and giddy with her new mobile device
The Waimea Lions Club was approached by Aubreyʻs teachers and aids with a proposal to provide an iPhone and service plan tailored to the needs of a blind student in Hawaii that will significantly enhance their educational experience and daily life activities while teaching independent living skills.
Proud mother, Kauanoe Ewaliko, proudly displays her daughterʻs new iPhone 15
Without any hesitation, our club got a new iPhone 15 to support her in overcoming these hurdles. This isn’t just any smartphone; it’s a powerful tool equipped with advanced accessibility features that can transform how Aubrey interacts with the world.
The iPhone 15 includes features such as VoiceOver, which reads out screen content, and apps that help with navigation. By integrating this technology into her daily routine, Aubrey can enhance her access to educational resources, and communication tools, and a greater sense of independence.
Here is a letter to the Waimea Lions Club written from Aubreyʻs phone:
"Dear Lions Club thank you for my phone I am so grateful to have one I hope more who are visually impaired can benefit from this gift just like me this helps out so much if I have an emergency. I have learned to navigate my school campus, I am able to communicate by text phone calls by using Siri and text-to-speech. I am also learning how to write using my keyboard on this phone. I will be learning a lot more about how to use some of my visibility apps and how it will allow me to be more independent. Thank you again for this amazing gift I am very excited to learn more."
This project exemplifies our commitment to using innovative solutions to address the needs and raise awareness of the visually impaired. With the support of our members and community partners, we are proud to contribute to Aubrey's growth and success.
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