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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, November 27, 2009 · 10 Blindness has helped Molly open the eyes of others By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Two years ago Molly Burke was at a low point in her life. Having lost her eyesight to the genetic disorder Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), the 15year-old former Appleby College student noted she had learned to get around as a blind person, but had yet to figure out how to be okay with the fact that she was blind. Burke could have been overwhelmed by those feelings, allowing herself to sink into selfpity and despair, but this was not to be. With the help of friends, family and many others, Burke choose to thrive in the face of her disability, serving the Foundation Fighting Blindness as a youth ambassador, using her birthday to raise nearly $30,000 for that same charity, becoming Miss Teen Oakville and Miss Teen Canada International while simultaneously collecting thousands of teddy bears, which were sent to comfort the needy children of Uganda. On Thursday, Burke was recognized for her work with the YMCA of Oakville's Peace Medal for 2009. "One of the great things about Peace Week is the ability to recognize someone in the community who has made an outstanding contribution and certainly when MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER PEACE MEDAL WINNER: Molly Burke, Miss Teen Canada International, won the Oakville YMCA's Peace Medal. our planning committee sat down and started thinking about who the recipient should be for our 2009 medal, the choice was quite obvious," said Darryl McKenzie, YMCA of Oakville Interim CEO, during a presentation at the YMCA's Rebecca Street facility. "Molly has made some outstanding contributions to this community and some outstanding contributions to the larger community outside of Oakville." It was also pointed out that Burke has made some stellar contributions to the Oakville YMCA serving as a camp counsellor this past summer. The YMCA's Supervisor of Child and Youth Community Programs Brandon McGuire recalled the impact Burke had on the children with whom she worked. "She was able to be a role model and show these kids that despite having a disability, you can be who you want to be and do what you want to do," said McGuire. "For our kids in the integration program who have varying degrees of disabilities, she was a visual representation that you can strive to be more." Accompanied by her guide dog Gypsy, Burke took to the podium and thanked those present for naming her as the Peace Medal recipient for 2009, an honour which she said humbled her. In the speech that reduced more than European Engineering Combined With Traditional Workmanship "Building on the Brightest Ideas Around Glass" 905.849.0266 John McDermott Christmas Concert tenor December 21 | Hamilton Place Tickets available at: or Call 905 527-7666 one audience member to tears, Burke called on humanity to celebrate each other's differences and recognize that all are created equal. "My biggest motivator is the drive to show people that my disability makes me no less capable and that I can reach my goals and dreams just as well as the next person. That's why I entered the Miss Teen Canada International pageant, that's why I love singing in a band and that's why working at the YMCA is so important to me," said Burke. "They let me show my abilities, not my disability." Burke went on to note that she wants to be a voice for those like her who are not as fortunate. She hopes the work she does will change the attitudes people have towards the disabled and open doors for those who need new opportunities. "My mission in life is to educate, motivate and inspire and I hope that, in doing that, I create acceptance and understanding, two things that I think are important to creating and sustaining world peace," said Burke. Burke noted an opportunity to educate that presented itself just last week when she was at Sick Kids Hospital for the filming of the season finale of Battle of the Blades. A young girl saw Burke with Gypsy and asked her mother why Burke had the dog. The mother, embarrassed because Burke was within earshot, told her daughter to be quiet, but then noted Burke was probably training the dog. "I turned to the little girl and I told her, `Actually I'm blind and my eyes don't work the same way. This is my guide dog and she helps me to get around safely,'" said Burke. "I don't know for sure because I had to leave at that moment, but I think I probably helped to change her and her mother's perspective on what a blind person is. I find it's often the little things that make the biggest difference." Far from destroying her life, Burke noted, her blindness has helped her to realize who she is and credits it with helping to give her strength. "I've done more than learn to be okay with being blind," said Burke. "I'm at peace with it and I think that's probably why I'm getting this award."