Cameron’s Soap in Australia

My name is Sheila and I have known the wonderful Cameron for several years now. For the past two years, I was his consultant through the Provincial Outreach Program for Students with Deafblindness. Now that he has graduated from high school and has transitioned into adult services, I too am transitioning - from consultant to friend. I am always awe-inspired by Cameron: by his accomplishments and by his strength. He communicates very clearly what he likes and dislikes. I watched this with fascination at a family retreat/camp this summer, as Cameron became extremely interested in a fantastic homemade instrument made out of PVC tubing. He communicated without question that his new found object of great intrigue and interest was his and it was going with him. The music facilitator could clearly see what Cameron was communicating, and indeed very kindly gave it to him.
I have always been very interested in and inspired by what Cameron and his Intervenors make together: particularily dog biscuits and soap. So when I knew for certain that I was going to Australia this past September to attend an international conference on deafblindness, I also knew for sure that I would be taking some of Cameron’s soap with me. One of the items that Cameron creates is a soap in the shape of a hand. This brings tears every time I look at it, as hands have so much significance and meaning to a person who is deafblind. I wanted to give this particular soap to the people that had been involved in the organization of such a wonderful event. Bringing people together from all over the world who are deafblind or who are working in a myriad of capacities with people with deafblindness. I also knew I would give it to people who greatly impressed me with the way in which their lives were intertwined with the lives of people who are deafblind. I took ten soaps with me and the people that I gave the soap to were visibly thrilled, impressed and touched by the story of the young man who had made it. And it hit home for me the impact Cameron has on all that meet him in person or through the amazing products he makes. Thank you, Cameron!

Cameron at the Market

This Saturday the girl that works with Cameron was sick so I spent the day with him. It was nice. I got to take him to the market and we sold Soap , Bath Teas and Dog biscuits there. The market was pretty quite so we didn't sell much but he had fun anyways. Cameron has always loved going to the market. There was a band playing very close to us and I am sure he could feel the vibration. He played with his block and hummed between customers. The rest of the day he spent with me at the Yarn Shop. He was my helper.

It is turning to fall here so now we need to get busy making items for the Christmas Fairs.

Cam's Mom - Shelley

Off to Family Camp

We are leaving today to go to Deafblind Family camp. I will take pictures and write all about it when we come back. Family camp is great fun for all of us. Cameron really enjoys all the activities and I love meeting with the only people in the world who actually understand living with Deafblindness and it is OK.
Shelley

Lots is going on

I haven't put a post on Cameron's blog in a while as I have been verrrrry busy. Cam's day program is going well. We have 2 new people to work with Cameron Kim and Shelley V. Both are being trained still by Melysa and myself. It is a busy time for sure. Cam has been making soap, bath teas and dog biscuits and selling them in the store and at the market. He continues to help me at the store by doing the mailing and the banking for me. That is a big help.

Cameron really understands his routine. Last week we were doing some video taping of Cameron's routine while I as training Kim. We took him to the Post Office, now normally I am working at the store so I don't go with him, but this day I was there. He was quite annoyed I was there and he only cooperated when it was time for him to actually give me the mail. He just shoved it at me as if to say " Here is your *&%*&$#@ mail." You see his job is to give me the mail. I have no business going with him to get the mail. He told me!!
Shelley

Courage to Succeed Award

On Tuesday Cameron's last day of school ever he was presented with an award. All of the kids and parent's were in the gym for the awards ceremony. It was a nice ceremony and it was wonderful to see all of these teenagers getting awards for honors or athletics. Cameron and another boy were both awarded the Courage to Succeed award.

Willie Cam's Intervenor presented Cameron the award. She spoke about him being Deafblind and how he had overcome so much in his life, she spoke about how happy he was and how much he had learned over the years in school. I was with Cameron and very focused on taking him up to receive his award and then I noticed the audience - they were very silent and listening and understanding what a wonderful unique person Cameron is. I also noticed a lot of tears. People were very touched by this. When Willie said his name and we went up to get the award all of the audience gave him a wonderful standing ovation. I was moved to tears to say the least.

I am so impressed on the wonderful effect Cameron has on people. He has been such a respected member of his school. I am a very proud Mom.

Cam's Grad party

This was a really special day for Cameron and for me. I had a lot of tears today. The class had a Grad party for Cameron and it was wonderful. I mentioned when I was thanking people for all they have done for Cameron that when he was 4 we had a MAP session. At that time I was asked what were my hopes for Cameron's future. I hope that he would grow up strong, learn to communicate and make good friends. Well he has done that and more. Cameron has had a profound impact on a lot of peoples lives. He will be remembered for years to come by many of these people who worked with him in school. Joyce who was at the MAP session when Cameron was 4 came today to see him Graduate. What a wonderful team of people have helped Cameron during his school years.

Cameron and his Intervenor Willie - she has worked with Cam for 8 years and she is so wonderful. I named this blog after Willie

" Intervention at it's best" We are going to miss her but now she can be Cam's friend.

Cameron and Harry - Harry is a good friend of Cameron's. He spoke about how much Cam means to him. It was very touching.

Cam and Reese - Reese is also a good friend to Cameron. He read a great poem and spoke about how important Cam's friendship is to him.

The kids all ate pizza and had cake.

Cam gave out Grad pictures and he got some very thoughtful gifts.

Shelia got him a wonderful drum.

The class room kids made him a set of beads, each kid has their own bead to symbolize them. They also gave him a great class picture signed and another class picture with all the staff.

Beth and Chris gave him a vibrating neck massage thing that he can operate with a remote. He will love that.

It was a great day and I am moved beyond words at what great friends Cameron has made at school.

Shelley - Cam's Mom

The Deafblind Services Society of BC, The Journey Begins.

The first time I met Cameron, I could sense his desire for information from the world around him. He seemed keenly aware of my presence and the comings and goings of the day. He is amazing and I can't wait to buy dog cookies from him at the store.

But let me take a step back and introduce myself.

My name is Rebecca Shields and I am the Executive Director of the Deafblind Services Society of BC. DSS provides intervention services to primarily adults in BC. Some of those services are in a community living facility and some are individualized day programs run out of family homes. DSS started in 1987. Currently, we support 18 congenitally deafblind adults, one acquired adult and are in the process of transitioning 4 more people into our services this year.

Our vision is Lives of Meaning and our mission statement states that we believe all persons with deafblindness should have access to the world through quality intervention. Thus, our team of management, deafblind specialists and intervenors work with individuals and families to develop completely individualized programs that focus on providing meaningful opportunities to the person who is deafblind by doing WITH them rather than FOR them as they continue to grow, learn and develop.

One year ago, I got a call from Shelly, asking to visit some of our residential programs in BC's Lower Mainland. Cameron was going into his final year in high school and she wanted to make sure that his last year would provide him with the learning he needed to start his life after school. I showed her our programs, talked about our family driven, individualized philosophy and the road map we'll travel on to put an adult intervention program in place for Cameron. Shelly looked at the uniqueness of our programs, our commitment to deafblindness and quality intervention and she told me, "Yes, let' do it!"

From there I travelled to Campbell River and met Cameron's CLBC team (the government funding partner) and worked out the type of program Shelly wanted for Cameron. Then, I came back to my office and drafted a proposal. Once we were all satisfied that we were creating something that would meet Cameron's needs we submitted it and waited.

And waited.


And waited.


There was moments of great tension, frustration and fear waiting to hear for funding approval. But then it came....(now I will tell the readers that it takes, advocacy, realism and true collaboration to bring the right people and the right resources together.) But, I will always thank Cameron and Shelly who ultimately inspired everyone to step up and put the program in place.

On May 17 we heard yes. That gave us just about a month to pull it together.

I will blog some more and tell the tale, from my prospective, of our journey to create an intervention program for Cameron. One month into it, I have learned a lifetime of lessons and have become more convinced that intervention is to the deafblind as the sun is to the light.

www.deafblindservices.com

Cameron who is he

Cameron is a young man who has a few disablities. He has just turned 19 and is now an adult. He is graduating school this year and starting a day program and he is doing this with the help of Intervention. Cameron is totally deafblind. He needs the help of an Intervenor ( when you get to the page you will need to highlight the text to read it) to understand the world around him that he can't see and hear. His day program is being set up by DSS (Deafblind Services Society of BC). We are going to keep a blog about Cameron's daily activities and what he is learning and how he is progressing. Cameron has no way of using the computer so everyone who works with Cameron will have access to the blog to share their experiences and to help Cameron tell his story as he learns and grows with this new chapter in his life.
I hope to see lots of posts on this blog. Please sign your posts.
Shelley Cam's Mom