Maya Johnson

A girl with a plan, 11-year-old Maya Johnson dreams of becoming a doctor one day.

“I wanted to go to UC Santa Barbara for college, but now I want to go to UCLA. It has the best medical program west of the Mississippi,” says Maya.

Her enthusiasm and confidence are more than convincing. They’re inspiring.

Visually impaired since birth, Maya learned the importance of confidence and self-esteem in Junior Blind’s Visions: Adventures in Learning program. Through activities such as whitewater rafting, rock climbing and downhill skiing, youth who are blind or visually impaired are empowered to push their limits, spread their wings and build their independence.

Maya’s first Visions trip also marked her first time skiing. “It was really cool,” says Maya. “By the second day, I was skiing the slopes all by myself.”

The three-day adventures also give Maya a chance to connect with kids who know what she’s been through—simply because they’ve experienced it themselves.

“We share stories about our sight,” says Maya. “And we can encourage and support each other. My friends at school don’t understand what it’s like to have a visual impairment.”

When she was just a few days old, Maya underwent her first surgery to remove the cataracts that were obstructing her vision. Unfortunately, the surgery caused her to develop glaucoma, which required an additional five surgeries over the next ten years.

Today, Maya is almost completely blind in her right eye and has limited vision in her left. A valve implanted in Maya’s right eye drains the fluid and relieves some of the intense pressure that leads to permanent vision loss.

Maya’s mother, Leonor, knows that managing Maya’s glaucoma will be an ongoing battle.

“Maya’s vision may never be ‘clear,’ but her sights will always be set on success,” says Leonor.

Leonor credits Junior Blind’s Visions program for giving Maya the opportunity to discover her potential and participate in activities that might otherwise have been inaccessible.

“As Maya gets older, sports become increasingly competitive and aggressive. It makes it difficult for blind kids to participate,” says Leonor.

Leonor has watched Maya overcome physical and emotional challenges since the day she was born. She believes Visions has taught Maya that she is capable of achieving all her hopes and dreams—even her dream to help others by becoming a doctor.