“In a way, I’m now more alert to problems that blind people face,” said 40-year-old Adrian Chan, who currently has 25% of his vision. “There are certain things that we look out for.”
Before Adrian developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, an immune reaction that caused cell death in his corneas, a little over six years ago, the English teacher and consultant was a vice-principal at a prominent independent school in Singapore. These days though, he is grateful to have a different career path.
For a start, Adrian is a member and volunteer at the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), where he narrates the voiceover for Dialogue in the Dark. “I help out at SAVH with some activities, and I go down very frequently to patronise the blind masseuses. I get a foot massage, body massage, and then I pay them.”
He made a career change on the advice of his friends. His friends played — and still play — an active role in helping him transition to and thrive as a private tutor and freelancer. Because of his own experience, Adrian is a strong advocate for decent work for people with disabilities (PWDs). “I feel that everyone who is disabled deserves a chance to find decent work. Work gives people a sense of purpose, fulfillment, meaning in life, stability, dignity. Dignity is very important.”
“I think it’s very important that people feel empowered. Like, for those who are completely blind and completely deaf, they must feel that they are supported by their community, that they are loved, and that people give them a chance. We cannot just pay lip service to inclusive workforce. We have to include and employ people who are disabled.”
Changes in societal attitudes to support the employment and mobility of PWDs must come about together with changes in infrastructure. “The problem with Singapore is, we are not as inclusive as say, Australia. I went to Perth – my parents stay in Perth – and there are guide dogs. You can call a hotline if you want to go out. They have a lot of facilities and infrastructure. I [want] more support for people who are vision-impaired. Ours is all very fragmented, it’s not coherent.”
A better-equipped infrastructure can make the transition into a life with an acquired disability easier. “I used to be able to drive, I had just completed a doctorate,” he said, “If not for my blindness, I would have been employed in a university as a lecturer.” With more comprehensive support for PWDs, Adrian would not have to give up on his dreams.
As for Adrian, his 12-year-old son remains a motivating force for him to push on, especially since they live separately after a divorce that was precipitated by his sudden diagnosis. “I want him to see that daddy has chosen to fight on. Even if I can no longer have a full career, I think the fact that I choose to work and carry on with my life is a life skill, a lesson for my son. I’m modeling for him what values are important.”
As for others who ask why he continues to teach, Adrian has a simple response:
“It is my passion. I am grateful that I am able to teach and touch the lives of people. As my students put it, more importantly than teaching any subject content, your lives can be a lesson.”
“You can be a role model for life skills, and if anything else, courage and resilience are important values. We all face difficulties and challenges in life.”
“The important thing is to come out of it fighting.”
This article is a part of our #AbleFamilies campaign in Singapore. Stay tuned for real life stories, advice and experiences from people who believe in and represent the potential of all kids. By now empowering the thousands of kids with disabilities in Singapore and supporting their parents and caregivers, we strengthen the next generation of citizens to promote a more inclusive Singapore.
