I was born in April 1982.
Since I was diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma at the age of 18 months, I have been wearing a glass eye on the right following chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
My left eye has retained its full vision.

I am now the father of a perfectly healthy daughter.

I received a lot of support from my parents.
They encouraged me in everything I wanted to do and didn’t wrap me up in absorbent cotton.
If I wanted to try something, I was allowed to, even if others said: “That’s not possible. You can’t do that.”
And lo and behold… I could.
Well, almost everything.
Unfortunately, there are legal limits for some driving licenses or training courses, which are of course intended to ensure safety… We’ll leave it at that for now 😉

After all, I have a diving license, a hunting license and a few other licenses, a car and even a motorcycle license, even if that certainly didn’t trigger any storms of joy in my mother.
However, as she has one herself, the arguments were over quite quickly…

There were certainly difficult moments in childhood in particular.
Ball sports alone are a special challenge without spatial vision and require more practice.
But it still works!
Hesitant glances, nicknames or any sayings from others can also be difficult or hurtful at times.
In my experience, it has helped to briefly explain the illness and, in rare cases when that didn’t work, to take out the eye and throw it at the person in question.
That usually put an end to any stressful situation.
At least until distraught parents called my parents and complained that I was throwing my eyes around.
That wouldn’t do!
Yes, yes… it is possible 😉

Anything goes.
Anything you want.
Just do it.
I wanted to be an emergency doctor in a helicopter when I was 16.
Now, after almost 20 years, it has worked out with a few stops in between and I actually fly as an emergency doctor in a rescue helicopter.

Until I got to know KAKS in 2013, I had no contact with others who are like me… who understand me… who support me… who are there.

We are here.
All of us.
So don’t hesitate and get in touch with us.
And don’t forget: Anything goes 😉

Hans
Encourager