A medical condition called pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) caused Cathy Maberry to lose her sight partially in 2017. Within three years, Maberry went completely blind. Despite her circumstances, Maberry never lost sight of her goal to complete her degree at Jackson State University (JSU) and pursue her life’s purpose.
In December 2021, Maberry walked across the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation at Jackson State. Maberry’s graduation cap stated, “Lost my sight but not my vision.” It symbolized her journey at JSU and the tenacity she’d bring to life after graduation. Like most graduates, it took Maberry some time to identify a professional career that felt like a life’s purpose.
“After graduation, I took a break. But then I hit the ground running. I did a post-graduation internship with the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS) through the Addie McBryde Center,” shared Maberry. “And ever since I’ve been working there, I’ve been putting all my professional skills to use there.”
Established in 1972, the Addie McBryde Rehabilitation Center is a comprehensive rehabilitation center for adults who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind. Through a program of training offered to both residential and day clients, individuals participate in classes that teach them skills enabling them to live and work independently successfully. Clients participate in activities in the Achieving Milestones Class, focusing on adjusting to vision loss, building confidence, resume writing, interviewing, and utilizing community resources…