Ronald Reagan

“ Through an accident of birth or illness, these men and women may never gaze at the splendor of a spring garden or listen to the voices of their loved ones. Cut off from what most of us take for granted, people who can neither see nor hear live in a kind of solitary confinement. ”

“ Today, the scientific and medical communities are showing great determination to build more bridges for deaf-and-blind individuals. Research on disorders that cause deaf-blindness is being conducted and supported on several fronts: by the Federal government through the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, and the National Eye Institute; by universities and other institutions of higher learning; and by voluntary health agencies and numerous groups in the private sector.
America can ill afford to lose the contributions of her deaf-and-blind citizens. ”

“ A Proclamation
The sights and sounds of the world around us are among the gifts we cherish most. But for approximately 40,000 Americans who are both deaf and blind, seeing and hearing exist only as dreams. ”