Emma, Sophie, and Zoe Dunn were born premature, at 25 weeks. All three became blind from complications related to Retinopathy of Prematurity. Sophie is legally blind, while Emma and Zoe are totally blind. The girls lost their hearing due to antibiotics that were administered in the NICU. They completely lost their hearing when they were about 20 months old. It was a very difficult time for the family. They didn't know what was wrong with their babies. But in spite of everything, the girls made significant progress their first year. They were about to start walking... they were saying "cup" and" mama"... then all of a sudden, they curled up on the floor in the fetal position. Every time they rode in the car they would throw up. These three happy babies became angry and began to bang their heads on the floor.

They also became distrustful during this time. They became clingy and wouldn't play anymore. They would become startled when you picked them up and they always seemed to be on edge. It has taken more than three years for them to recover and begin walking again. Most of the angry behavior is gone too. But the deafness was a huge setback. They lost at least two years of what they had learned.

The odds are stacked against them. There is no way for their parents to give them everything they need. The social services do not exist in this country to provide them with the necessary intervenors. The extreme financial burden rests solely on the shoulders of their parents. The Dunn sisters do not have what HELEN KELLER received through Annie Sullivan, and they need three. But through the DeafBlind Children's Fund and donations from caring individuals, three Annie Sullivans' can come into their lives and teach them to engage this world. Helen Keller's story shows us these girls can do anything they want, if they are only taught to unlock their minds. Part of the DeafBlind Children's Fund mission is to raise the necessary means to do just that.

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