Julie-Ann Styles Ward
I am the parent of Dexter Ward, who has bilateral congenital glaucoma. When Dexter was three months we learned
that he had congenital glaucoma. He had his first surgery when he was three months old and started wearing glasses at 18 months old. He hated them so his father made a pair for his favorite toy Scruffy. At two Dexter had his 14th surgery and lost all vision in his right eye and was registered as severally visually impaired. Shortly after this he started to use a long cane. So Dexter’s father made Scruffy a long cane. Scruffy and Dexter have had many adventures together over the last couple of years. As soon as we were told that Dexter would be a braille user we started to look for books and games for him and very quickly realized that the provisions for visually impaired children were limited.
Five years later and with the input and inspiration of Dexter we have self-published three first touch books and three story books. Dexter has also published his own story book called Dexter and Gracie Go to Space. He has also written his first cookbook Dexter’s Bakers Dozen. All our books are written and designed by Dexter and aim to provide a positive, fun role model for visually impaired children as well as educating children and adults as to why some children use a cane.