Seeing is believing

Duncan Collard might be living a life less ordinary – it’s quite extraordinary, in fact – but this optimistic 82-year-old won’t let you tell him that. You see, Duncan has lived 81 of those years completely blind.

Born with normal vision, a complication from measles when he was just one, saw baby Duncan lose his eyesight forever. But, if anything, the unfortunate nature and timing of that illness actually set him on quite a meaningful life path. It is a colourful life path too, punctuated by selfless acts of service and impressive accolades among all the everyday ‘normal’ things. It’s a life path that ultimately lead Duncan to Palm Lake Care Mt Warren Park four years ago, and literally right up to the back fence of his doting little sister, Noela, and her husband, Keith, who have called neighbouring Palm Lake Resort Mt Warren Park home for the past 17 years.

On the morning that we catch up with Duncan, he’s just returned from a medical appointment that Noela has accompanied him to. The convenience, for these siblings, of having each other literally either side of a fence is not lost on either of them.

“I take Dunc and some of his Palm Lake Care friends up to church every Sunday and then I’ll bring him back to our house for morning tea afterwards,” beams Noela. “And it’s easy for me to come over and grab him for his medical appointments through the week. There’s also a level of advocacy I can provide by being so close.”

Noela remembers when construction workers first broke ground on the Palm Lake Care Mt Warren Park site next door. She watched the development progress literally over her back fence, thinking how convenient it would be to have brother Duncan living right there. Up until that time, Duncan had been living in an aged care community at Mt Gravatt but the idea of her sibling being co-located alongside her at Mt Warren Park was too good to be true and so Duncan joined Palm Lake Care in its early days.

Four years on, Duncan will tell you that he thoroughly enjoys the Lifestyle Team’s activities schedule. There are craft lessons for him to partake in, and games of bowls, and the visiting entertainment every Friday is always a highlight in his diary. You’ll often find Duncan on the Palm Lake Care bus enjoying special outings as well – just yesterday, Lifestyle Team Leader Leona and her crew took him, and others, to the Logan Art Gallery.

“Leona and the Lifestyle Team really are a class above,” Noela smiles.

Duncan’s other hobbies include playing the harmonica, choir singing, braille bingo, quizzes, bible studies and loads more.

“Being blind doesn’t stop you from doing anything!” he declares, from his comfy armchair, positioned in the sunniest corner of his private suite.

Duncan’s life really is proof of this statement – and it’s a life that would put some sighted people to shame. The son of a baker and one of seven kids, Duncan grew up on a farm in Gunalda, about 30 minutes’ drive north of Gympie. His beloved family photo album shows images of Duncan doing normal farm kid things – riding bikes, billycarts and horses, feeding cows and playing with his siblings. Duncan began his education at ‘Blind School’ at age 6. It was a boarding school in Brisbane’s inner south. There, Duncan learned to read and write Braille, while also learning important lessons around independence.

Fast forward some years and the family would move from Gunalda to Enoggera and on to Beenleigh. As a competent young adult, Duncan landed his first job working for the organisation now known as Vision Australia. Among his tasks, Duncan spent decades constructing cane furniture – bassinet stands, day beds, lounges, coffee tables and the like – before moving on to roles in assembly lines where he’d help construct clothes pegs and mops. Although he was completely blind, Duncan would catch the train into work alone, from Beenleigh to Dutton Park station, and home again every afternoon. The train conductor got to know Duncan well and so, on his daily return trips, the conductor would slow the train to a stop right at the intersecting dirt road that lead to Duncan’s family’s farm, and let the dedicated young employee conveniently hop off there. Duncan’s association with Vision Australia would go on to span an incredible 50 years of service – right up to his retirement in 2011 at age 68.

Duncan’s life took another positive turn when he met his one true love, Beverley, in 1983. He married her the following year. Beverley was only partially sighted but it didn’t stop the pair from dedicating their married life to various types of community service. Beverley was a Brownie leader and Duncan spent 20 years volunteering as a Scout leader while he was employed at Vision Australia. The pair also shared a strong devotion to the Salvation Army right up to the time Beverley succumbed to cancer in their 24^th year of marriage.

For now, Noela knows her ‘Dunc’ is living his best life here, among friends, at Palm Lake Care Mt Warren Park. He is supported. He is content. And he is loved. Duncan is proof that there are no real boundaries when your life is lived with optimism and positivity – and some beloved family just over the back fence…