Meeting the White Cane and My Journey Toward Independence
I first met the white cane in primary school, in fourth grade. Back then, our guidance teacher, Fatih Geneş, taught me how to use my first cane. It was an important beginning in my life.
Later, I started traveling to and from the gym and going to different places for my training. Being able to move around independently has always mattered to me, because sport isn’t just about lifting weights in the gym. Getting to training, traveling to competitions, and finding my way around hotels and unfamiliar places are all part of the journey.
Having WeWALK in my life made things even easier. The cane gave me confidence, especially when commuting to training and getting around in places I don’t know. I now feel much more comfortable going out.
From WeWALK Smart Cane 1 to Smart Cane 2: More Support, More Confidence
I first used WeWALK’s earlier model. Later, thanks to donations collected at the Arabica Athletes Event, a WeWALK Smart Cane 2 was delivered to me. I can clearly feel the difference between the two models in my daily life.
Smart Cane 2’s navigation feature is very useful for me. It can save locations, and I use it to get where I want to go. It makes it much easier to find my way, especially in places I don’t know.
The Obstacle detection feature is also very important to me. With the earlier model, I didn’t get the same level of support in detecting things like overhead obstacles. In Smart Cane 2, this feature is more advanced and helps me assess my surroundings better as I walk.
I’ve also used WeWALK Smart Cane 2 a lot in hotels. When you walk into an unfamiliar place, it can be hard to figure out what’s where. Thanks to the cane’s alerts, I can move around such places much more easily.
The two features I use most are navigation and Obstacle detection. They make things genuinely easier for me, especially when I travel and when I go to other cities for training.
Showing What Sport Makes Possible
Being visually impaired has never made us limit ourselves. On the contrary, we’ve wanted to show that we can achieve many things.
In my school years, people were sometimes curious about how we walked and what we could do. Some wondered, “What do they even do? Can’t they do anything?” We felt that the best way to answer was to succeed. For me, sport has been one of the most powerful ways of getting that message across.
Right now, I’m the only visually impaired athlete in Pazarcık who is a member of the national team, and I’m one of the visually impaired athletes competing in this field in the Mediterranean Region. This is a great source of pride for me.
I was selected for the national team in 2023, and I’ve come home with medals from every competition I’ve entered since. I’ve earned a number of placings at world and European championships. At the European Championships, I won two gold medals and one bronze. At the world championships held in Istanbul, I became world champion in the masters category.
Behind these achievements there’s not just talent, but consistency and refusing to give up. I never quit something before I’ve succeeded. I have a strong drive and determination inside me. Once I’ve decided to do something, I work at it until I get it done.
My Family Is My Greatest Supporter
My wife’s support on this journey means a great deal to me. Sometimes I’m away from home for 20 days, sometimes a month, for competitions and training camps. During that time, she takes care of our four children and always supports me.
We try to look after our children’s education, never neglect them, and at the same time represent our country, our district, and our province as well as we can.
My son Faruk Mir also tells me he’s proud of my achievements. One day he said to me, “You weren’t satisfied with just yourself; you brought us along this path too.” Those words were very precious to me, because I want my children to learn to work hard, put in effort, and never give up on anything.
WeWALK and WeASSIST: Stronger Together
With WeWALK, I can get around independently up to a point. When I need something read, shown, or described, such as an object around me, I use the WeASSIST service.
The WeASSIST team is very important to me. In the past, when no one was with me, I sometimes struggled with certain things. Thanks to WeASSIST, I now know that whenever I’m curious about something or need support, I can get help. I can show them a text, an object, or the environment I’m in and get information about it.
Used together, the cane and WeASSIST offer more complete support. WeWALK gives me confidence while I’m moving, and WeASSIST provides extra information the moment I need it. That’s why I want to thank the WeASSIST team for their hard work. They truly make a difference in the lives of visually impaired people.
My Advice to Visually Impaired Friends: Don’t Stay at Home
To all my visually impaired friends, especially those who are just beginning to move around independently, I’d like to say this: Don’t stay at home. Don’t be afraid to use a cane. Believe in yourself and take advantage of opportunities to grow.
To learn to use a cane, start by getting training. How to follow a sidewalk, how to use the cane, how to move through different environments: all of it can be learned. The more training and practice you get, the more confident you become.
I see WeWALK as part of this process too. Its navigation and Obstacle Detection features let me move around outside more comfortably. I feel that support when I’m going to training, when I’m traveling, and in hotels I don’t know.
If the cane became a bit smaller and more portable in the future, it would be even easier to use. But even as it is today, it’s helping many people. I recommend that all my friends use it.
Let’s Support Reaching More People
I believe WeWALK should reach more visually impaired people. I call on business leaders, institutions, and officials who have the means to support projects like this. A smart cane can make a visually impaired person’s life easier. It can give them the courage to go out, work, play sports, and move around independently.
I’m very grateful to those who got WeWALK to me and to the WeWALK team. This cane has been an important source of support in my life, and it makes it easier for me to move around independently as I continue my sporting journey.
“Let’s never be obstacles; let’s be support. Because what matters is that our hearts aren’t disabled.”
