JDA Magazine May 2025 Paperturn - Flipbook - Page 34
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Kerry with Janet, her JDA Angel
JDA NOT ONLY RESCUED ME AT THE AIRPORT,
THEY GAVE ME A NEW LIFE
Life, and airports, can be terrifying if you can’t see or hear
“Have you ever been told a story by someone
who’s Deaf and blind? My name’s Kerry.
And my story illustrates why there could be
no more important thing in my life than JDA.
I was travelling back from visiting my mother in
South Africa. International travel is terrifying for
me, as I have to rely on strangers who can never
communicate with me. But my mother handled
everything at her end and Janet, my JDA support
worker, had arranged to meet me at Heathrow in
the middle of the night to drive me home.
When the 昀氀ight landed, I was escorted through the
airport, then left sitting somewhere. I thought
I was waiting for my luggage. After a while, I sensed
something was wrong. I started panicking —
I had no idea where I was!
Thankfully, I had JDA on speed dial on my braille
phone. I messaged Janet, who reassured me that
she was at the airport, and she would 昀椀nd me. She
alerted airport sta昀昀 that a Deafblind woman was lost
somewhere in the airport. Eventually, they found
me in a waiting area for passengers in transit.
I was about to be 昀氀own to Belgium!”
28
JDATogether — Issue 50 — May 2025
Kerry 昀椀rst turned to JDA for help last year.
She felt isolated. She had a care worker who was
controlling her, and who made her feel vulnerable.
She spent six days a week alone in her 昀氀at,
unable to go out and su昀昀ered from vertigo and
depression.
In just 昀椀ve months, JDA has turned Kerry’s life
around. Our incredible, professional support
workers, all 昀氀uent in “hands-on” sign language,
accompany Kerry to all her medical appointments
and help her to manage her health, administer all
her paperwork and lead a life full of people and
purpose.
Kerry loves socialising and our community centre
is her happy place — here she can communicate
easily with everyone and is treated with respect,
warmth and care. For her 50th birthday, we gave
her a present she’ll always remember — her 昀椀rst
birthday party ever!
When asked what she thinks of JDA, Kerry
signs: “JDA? Oh wow!!! I’m gobsmacked.
I love them, they’re my friends.”
