Blindness and Vision Loss: It’s Raining Awards

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) announces the 2009 winners of the prestigious Migel Medal, Access Awards, the Gallagher Award, and the Corinne Kirchner Research Award. These awards recognize individuals and companies who have significantly contributed to the blindness and vision loss field.

"This year's award recipients are highly deserving of these prestigious honours," said Carl R. Augusto, President and CEO of AFB. "AFB is honoured to recognize these awardees for their vast contributions to the field of blindness and low vision. We are very proud of the accomplishments each individual has made and the strides each company has taken in paving the way for people with vision loss to live more independent lives."

Migel Medal
AFB's Migel Medal, the highest honor in the blindness field, was established in 1937 by the late M.C. Migel, the first chairperson of AFB, to honor professionals and volunteers whose dedication and achievements have improved the lives of those who are blind or visually impaired. The 2009 Professional Award recipient is Dr. Susan Jay Spungin. Dr. Susan Jay Spungin is a highly respected leader and beloved member of the blindness community and recent retiree from the American Foundation for the Blind and the World Blind Union. Her 44-year career included numerous contributions to the blindness field and to people with vision loss and their families, both domestically and internationally.

Access Awards
The Access Awards honour individuals, corporations, and organizations that are eliminating or substantially reducing inequities faced by people who are blind or visually impaired.
The 2009 recipients are: Apple, Inc., the National Broadcast Reading Service (NBRS) and its divisions—VoicePrint, AudioVision Canada (AVC), The Accessible Channel (TAC TV), Diagnostic Devices, Inc., and Mike May and The Sendero Group.

The Gallagher Award
The Gallagher Award is intended to honor a blind or visually impaired individual who has demonstrated exemplary participation in the workplace and the community, and has served as an outstanding role model to others who have vision loss. The 2009 recipient is Judy Dixon. She has long been an outstanding role model for people with vision loss. Her involvement and influence over the years have helped to ensure that technology benefits the lives of people with vision loss: she was instrumental in making sure that the Internet would be accessible; she has been a major advocate for braille technology; and her leadership and persistence have made web-braille a reality.

REHACARE.de; Source: The American Foundation for the Blind

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