From Daylight to Dark: Finding Work in an Inaccessible World

When Valerie Maidment was a baby, doctors diagnosed her with hydrocephalus, a condition that causes excess fluid to build in the brain. After the second surgery at age 9, she was declared healthy; she lived a happy, normal life, graduating from high school and college, having children, and buying and managing her own convenience store. Until one day, when everything changed.

Fluid began to build once again in Valerie’s brain, causing immense pressure that—due to misdiagnosis on the part of multiple doctors—caused her optic nerves to break down. By the time the doctors realized what was happening, it was too late; Valerie was legally blind. She had to re-learn how to do everything, from folding laundry to using a computer to walking up and down the stairs of her own home. Eventually, she was forced to sell her business, leaving her wondering if she would ever work again.

Through tragedy and triumph, Valerie persisted, never losing hope or courage as she navigated a world that is largely unprepared to accommodate people with disabilities. Told with remarkable heart, humour, and wisdom, From Daylight to Dark is above all a story of perseverance against great odds, offering important insight into the need for accessibility in the workforce for all Canadians.