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James Sims began experiencing vision loss in his forties. After meeting with an optometrist, he was referred to an eye surgeon. He had multiple surgeries to address serious, long-term ocular issues. He explained, \\u201cI lost a lot of vision and quickly knew that I was going to need some services and some accommodations if I wanted to continue to work in the same field that I work in.\\u201d

With a master\\u2019s degree and extensive experience in marketing and communications, James connected with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) for services to help him continue his career with his onset disability. He was initially reluctant because he thought OOD could not support employment solutions in his career field. Amy Beavis, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, helped James become aware of the services that could help and assured him he could continue doing the work he enjoyed.

Amy linked James with Susan Walters at Matrix Vocational Solutions, a vocational rehabilitation provider, who helped James navigate the application process to find a job that would be a good fit.

After working with Amy and Susan, James landed a marketing position with PrimaryOne Health, where he worked for four years. He then accepted a Marketing Manager position at The Ohio State University. In addition to the full-time position he enjoys, James recently published a children\\u2019s book titled \\u201cThe Incredible, Amazing, Fantastic Life of Mr. Smith,\\u201d which can be purchased through Amazon and other retailers. The book is about Mr. Smith, an ordinary dad with a big imagination, who shares a tall tale about his encounter with a seal and a hungry great white shark.

James\\u2019 message to others with disabilities is to \\u201cKeep an open mind. Just realize this: it\\u2019s a part of what is going on with you but doesn\\u2019t define you at all. Know what you can do, what your ceiling is, and what abilities you have. So just lean in and get to work."

Transcripts and MP3 files are available at ood.ohio.gov/podcast.

Do you have a disability? Do you want a job? OOD can help! Visit OODWorks.com or call 800-282-4536 to get started.

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