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Can you imagine that selling cookies from your basement could help The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) speed the pace of research? Well Linda Lechner of Indiana, has done just that, and her on-going efforts are reaping impressive results. Linda is known as a generous woman with many unique ideas. Katie was born deaf, and from the very start Linda tried to find ways to help Katie have a ‘normal' life. Not only did Katie's family (mother, father and 4 brothers) learn sign language, but Linda held a signing class to teach family friends how to communicate with Katie. Then when Katie was nine, the Lechner's world was rocked again when Linda found out that Katie was going blind. "We had just gotten used to the deafness and then came the possibility of total blindness," explains Linda. But that didn't stop Linda from looking for answers; she talked to anyone and everyone she could about Katie's disease. One day her boss at Kimball Office placed a copy of a Sports Illustrated article featuring Gordon Gund, FFB Chairman and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Linda's desk. "It took me days to read the entire story because I kept crying and rereading the story," says Linda. "The story of Mr. Gund and how he never let his blindness stop him from living his life, just gave me so much hope for Katie. I knew right away that I had to contact him." That year, Linda attended the VISIONS national conference held by The Foundation. At the conference, Linda was "overwhelmed" with information from FFB. She was also impressed with FFB's mission to find the treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases, like Usher syndrome. It was at that VISIONS conference that Linda knew that FFB was the right place for her put her support. She promised Katie that she "wouldn't sit back and watch her go blind without a fight." And Linda has stayed true to her word. She has successfully raised over $70,000 through her successful letter writing campaigns, raffles, cookie sales, a 50's/60's dance, and other contributions from various events. "It's through the hard work of volunteers, like Linda, that The Foundation has come so far over the past 32 years," stated Gordon Gund. "Through numerous selfless acts of kindness, compassion and generosity, FFB is moving closer to finding the treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases." Katie is now a bright and outgoing 17-year-old young lady who is very interested in attending college and living life to the fullest. Although she is unable to drive due to her peripheral vision loss, Katie accepts her circumstances and hopes to one day live in a big city where public transportation is easier to use. Linda hopes that with the efforts of The Foundation, Katie and others with retinal degenerative diseases may not have to worry about how to get around in the future. Linda's sure-footed determination serves as a symbol of The Foundation's strength. By each of us doing what we can do to help, a cure is in sight. |
Once a month, she bakes 20-30 dozen cookies in her fully licensed ‘cookie' basement and sells her much requested cookies at local events. She also organized a "Jimmy Buffet Day" at Kimball Office, her place of employment, where there was an option to dress in Hawaiian shirts and jeans for a small donation to FFB. What most people may not realize is that the driving passion behind Linda's "fun" events is her daughter, Katie, who has Usher syndrome - a retinal degenerative disease that is the leading cause of deaf/blindness in the world. Linda expresses, "Doing anything to help find a cure for Katie's disease is just what I have to do."