Lawyer uses legs to help eyes

By Dana Herra - Staff Writer

DeKALB - Local attorney John Corneille has accepted that it is not likely retinitis pigmentosa, the degenerative disease that claimed his vision, will be cured in time to save what's left of his sight. But he believes when a cure is found, it will have something to do with the research being funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

"I'm convinced someday, there's going to be something positive," he said. "Something someday is going to make a difference for somebody."

The FFB began in 1971 with a mission to find ways to prevent, treat and cure retinal degenerative diseases, which the organization estimates affect more than nine million Americans. Last year, Corneille said, the foundation began raising money through Vision Walks, 5K charity walks held in cities across the country. Corneille has assembled a team of about 30 walkers to participate in the Chicago walk June 10.

"Even though the walk itself is in Chicago, it's still local," he said.

"The research done will benefit everybody, no matter where you are. ...

If you just think about it, most people know somebody who struggles or is blind or is legally blind."

Corneille himself is legally blind. Although he wasn't diagnosed that way as a child, he said he now believes he was.

"Now that I know what legal blindness is, looking back I realize I was blind and didn't know it," he said. "I just knew I had problems (with vision.)"

As he has gotten older, he said the disease has progressed.

"July 9, 1999, was the last day I drove a car," he said. "I can't read a book or a document without some sort of assistive technology. It's probably not great for lawyering, but I find ways to do it."

Corneille said he relies on magnifying equipment and a software program that converts text to speech in his office.

Despite his own struggles, Corneille said it had never occurred to him to get involved in raising money for the FFB before this year.

"I've been on a number of volunteer boards over the years, and have always been in the position to do fundraising for others," he said. "I was really hesitant to get involved with this because of my obvious personal involvement. ... I'm blind, I'm asking for money for an organization for the blind, and I could benefit from this. It's just different."

Inspired by his wife, who is also participating in a walk against breast cancer this year, Corneille said he finally committed to creating a fundraising team early in March. So far, he said, his team has raised more than $14,000, more than any other team in the Chicago walk. He hopes to reach $20,000 by June 10.

"I think it's incredible," he said. "The generosity shown in this community has really caught the attention of the organizers of this event. ... They're thinking about either starting a chapter of the foundation in the DeKalb area or having a walk in this area."

Corneille said donations have ranged from $5 to $1,000, and at least one member of his donor list has national appeal.

"Cindy Crawford donated," he said. "I've never met her, but I've just been taking the approach that it doesn't hurt to ask. ... When I got the e-mail notification she had donated, I think it was more exciting to me than to my wife and daughters."

Crawford may have star power, but Corneille said he was more touched by a donation closer to home.

"My daughter, who is a sophomore at DeKalb High School, had an assignment for speech class to make a persuasive speech," he said. "The assignment was to persuade the class to give you $25, and she spoke about (the Vision Walk). ... Her class voted to donate their funds to this."

Corneille said his team, which began as just his immediate family, has grown to more than 20 people, from friends and neighbors to high school classmates, who want to help raise funds. They dubbed themselves Team JOHN, which Corneille said stands for a Journey for Opportunity and Hope with Neighbors.

"The last word is the worst one," he said laughing. "We spent hours trying to think of something that started with an 'n' there, and that was the best we could come up with."

Donations to Team JOHN can be made online or mailed to Corneille up to the day of the walk. For more information, visit www.blindness.org or call Corneille at (815) 787-3519.

Dana Herra can be reached at dherra@daily-chronicle .com.