07/26/2024
"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not get bent out of shape," said Lee Casey, Mercy chaplain and manager of the Spiritual Care Department in Fort Smith, Arksansas, who happens to be blind. Having served in health care for 31 years, Lee has helped thousands of patients with their spiritual care in some of the hardest moments of their lives.
He said he appreciates when people offer assistance to him, because it empowers him to say "yes please" or "no thank you," and he is always grateful for the people in his life who support him.
"My total foundation," he said, "is a trust in the guidance and direction of God in my life. I am a committed believer, and I have to — everyday — trust in the goodness of God to work in and through other people."
He also said that he likes to focus on what he can do, rather than what he can't do. "I'm not a blind person; I am a person who happens to be blind. When I say that I am a person who happens to be blind, I am acknowledging my humanity, and blindness just happens to be a part of who I am — but it's not the main focus. In contrast, saying I'm a blind person focuses on the disability I deal with. Though I don't deny my blindness, it's just part of who I am. It's important to get to know people for who they are, regardless of what challenges they may face."
On , we honor the many contributions of individuals with disabilities throughout history, and look for new ways to make their daily experience more equitable and enjoyable.