Every June, Deafblind Awareness Month serves as a reminder that ability is far more expansive than most people realize and for communities across Canada, this year is no different.
Ryan Riehl knows that better than most. The Saskatchewan resident, who is deafblind, has never let his condition define the boundaries of what he can do. At one point in his life, he was cutting through water on a pair of skis and doing it remarkably well.
“It was kind of amazing. Within probably a week, two weeks, I was up skiing by myself,” he recalls with a sense of quiet pride.
Riehl earned awards for his waterskiing achievements, a testament to his determination. A back injury eventually brought that chapter to a close, but rather than slow down, he simply turned the page. These days, he channels his energy into painting mostly sunsets, those warm bursts of color he carries as vivid memories from a time when his vision was stronger.
“My mother got me into painting. She thought I could do it and be able to put images that I see in my head onto canvas,” he explains. “An image that I remember when I could see really well was a sunset. And I thought they were really beautiful.”
His story is one of adaptation and creativity but it is also one born of necessity. Riehl lost his sight at just nine years old due to a tumor on his optic nerve. Then, in his thirties, his hearing began to deteriorate as well. Doctors were never able to provide a clear explanation. Still, life continued, and Riehl found ways to fill it meaningfully.
“It’s finding things to keep busy,” he says. “You can’t just… go on the phone and call a friend.”
Riehl is not alone. Across Canada, more than 600,000 people over the age of 15 identify as deafblind a community that is far larger, and far more capable, than many Canadians may realize.
Patricia Spicer is working to change those perceptions. Deafblind herself, Spicer serves as a vocational counselor and early childhood and family services worker, dedicating her career to supporting others within the community. She is also candid about the misunderstandings that persist.
“Many people think people in the Deafblind community are fully deaf and fully blind. That’s not true,” she says plainly. “A lot of people think that deafblind people can’t communicate. That’s also not true. A lot of people think deafblind people can’t live independently or that they can’t hold a job but they can.”
For Spicer, awareness is not just symbolic. It is a practical tool for dismantling the barriers that deafblind individuals encounter every day.
“Awareness is important because it helps people understand the deaf-blind community. It reduces barriers and there are lots of different avenues for miscommunication and misconceptions but this allows for inclusivity in the community,” she says.
Her message to the public this month is simple but powerful: approach the community with curiosity and openness, not assumptions.
“It’s important to have an open heart and realize that people in the Deafblind community have all these possibilities and can do it. It’s really important to just learn about the community as a whole.”
