Four Things Worth Knowing About

Every month seems to have something to celebrate or learn about. What’s strange is I never hear of any month other than October, and it captures four important things near and dear to my heart. In my opinion, these four things are worth everyone knowing about.

Three out of the four impact my life daily, but each could impact our families and society overall, making them important to know about. They are:

1. Blind Awareness
2. Domestic Violence Awareness
3. ADHD Awareness
4. Breast Cancer Awareness

Blind Awareness

Millions of Americans are affected by vision problems, and a person can lose 80% of their vision before realizing a problem exists. Since I live with a progressive eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa, I am passionate about all vision loss.

My desire isn’t to train or assist the visually impaired population directly, but rather give hope by my example and educate the sighted population on an individual basis by living a full life.

You should know. . .

• Odds are someone in your family will be affected by some eye disease or condition
• Blind people lead productive lives, in spite of employment challenges
• Mobility is the hardest challenge of all
• Assistive technology has made amazing progress, but still needs more improvements

My friend, Amy Bovaird, has a beautiful memoir that takes me down memory lane and that would bless the sighted and visually impaired. So honest and full of humor. Check it out here, along with her other books. 

Learn about other blind authors here, a blind pastor, and a blind computer tech. If interested in reading my stories on vision loss, browse through  the “As my World Disappears” category on this blog.

Domestic Violence

This topic is probably my most passionate, even though I was blessed to not be a victim. Many family and church members weren’t as fortunate. This one crime has a tremendous ripple affect among families and our society in general.

Manipulators seek givers who love pleasing people to a fault, and take advantage. many never escape its grasp, fall into addictions as an escape, and children pay the price. Domestic violence passes on insecurities and hatred, resulting in dropping out of school, jail, early pregnancies, and more. 

You should know. . .

• Abuse includes physical, mental, verbal, emotional, financial, and even spiritual abuse
• Resolving this would restore families and our society
• Make a difference by teaching sons how to treat women and build confidence in your daughters and how to set boundaries

Empower someone today – love and encourage them! Share this post with them.

ADHD Awareness

This learning or behavior challenge was introduced shortly after obtaining my teaching degree in special education. I had a tendency to believe much of it came from “absentee” or “poor parenting.” That is what I get for thinking such false beliefs. God led me to marry a man with ADHD. The Lord blessed what teachers condemned and parents feared, to use for good.

With a changing perspective, God also added children and grandchildren with ADHD (both types) in my life. There are many hills and valleys in raising such children, but can be worth it in the end. I don’t want any child to feel the ADHD label and feel less than a human when they are only as different as I am being blind. They have traits I admire and am unable to do. 

You should know. . .

• Treatment other than medication is available through play and therapy
• Amazingly, hyper children can become the most focused when passionate about something
• ADHD children make good surgeons and CEO’s when they grow up
• They can keep going when others cannot
• We are all different, live with something, and created unique by God.

Embrace these beautiful, yet sometimes frustrating children who need extra love and attention. Learn more about this condition from Brain Balance Centers of America.

Breast Cancer

While not the most deadly type of cancer when detected, it is the easiest to prevent. I have traveled this journey with several friends and have lost the fight of some. Thankfully, I know many more survivors.

Make sure all you women in the right age brackets get your mammograms and do self-exams. Listen to my friend’s testimony on this radio station interview.

*If you have overcame and a survivor of any of these, then celebrate.

*If you are going through any, know you are not alone.

*If you have escaped all, then thank the good Lord today!

Please take time to check out several of the links in this post. May your focus be changed as a result of reading this. Feel free to share and sign up for my newsletters to get personal encouragement and behind the scenes information. And Special offers, like this.

Don’t forget to appreciate your pastor this month as well! Pastor Appreciation Day also lands in October.

© 2021, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.