Be There – Blair Chirdon

When Blair Chirdon was born, the doctors told her parents that she wouldn’t be able to do many things due to being diagnosed with Congenital Cervical Myopathy. It’s a rare birth defect that limits one’s range of motion. One thing they didn’t know was that she was born with more determination than the average person. Now, 27 years later, she is still proving those doctors wrong! Blair currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and family, drives her own car and has a successful career in customer service.

At the age of 21, she decided that to become more independent she wanted to learn how to drive. Blair enrolled at Brants Driving School in Johnstown, PA. Her driving instructor Bryan helped change her life and is still a friend to this day. She recalls that the first day was a bit challenging and even scary, but on the second day of driving Blair was loving it! She now drives a Ford Focus that is fitted with high-tech, touch screen hand controls, an adapted steering wheel and even some pink pinstripes for style. Blair enjoys being able to pick up her nephew from school and go anywhere she wants around town.

One place Blair does not have to drive to is work. She is able to do that from home thanks to National Telecommuting Institute. NTI was founded in 1995 to help find physically disabled individuals work-from-home jobs. They provide training and support through online courses and will continue to work with someone even after they are placed with an organization.  Currently Blair is working with the IRS. She stumbled across NTI while on the social security website and within one day they were working to find Blair a new career.

If you are interested in getting back on the road, or learning to drive for the first time feel free to contact us. Our Certified Mobility Consultants will help you find a trusted instructor in your area that specializes in using hand controls and start working on the right solution for your vehicle.

*Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in January of 2017.*