Jennifer and Elizabeth Hooper
I See My Daughter Being Confident
and Taking on the World
When Elizabeth Hooper was 7 months old, her parents Eric and Jennifer learned about the BEGIN Program at CVI. “It was a happy accident that we found out about BEGIN,” said Jennifer. “A nurse told me about it even though we don’t live in Atlanta.” Wanting the best support and help for themselves and their daughter, the Hooper’s loyally make the bimonthly 360-mile round trip from Albany. Elizabeth, who has a cortical visual impairment and hydrocephalusis, is now 2 years old and has learned so much. “At the beginning, noises scared her to death and we could not eat out at restaurants,” said Jennifer. “Now she understands different sounds and loves music.”
Additionally, Elizabeth has been learning social and behavioral skills along with a little sign language and braille. Her parents have learned a lot too. “BEGIN has been so important because we were first time parents,” said Jennifer. “The program teaches parents how to communicate to others that your child is visually impaired.”
With all that Elizabeth is learning, Jennifer can see a bright future for her daughter. “She is already independent and I see more of that in her future,” she said. “Like any other parent, you want your child to be confident and take on the world. I don’t want my child to say she can’t do something, but instead to figure out a way.”
