People with vision and hearing loss from as far away as London will attend “You Can Do It! Advocacy and Self-Determination, Keys to Your Future!,” a conference featuring internationally recognized experts in the field of deaf-blindness on Oct. 12-13. “You Can Do It!” is scheduled from 1-6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, and from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Reed Conference Center, located at 5750 Will Rogers Road in Midwest City.

The conference is the realization of a dream for Cassandra Oakes, the founder of a new Oklahoma-based organization, Sight-Hearing Encouragement Program (SHEP). Oakes is a person with deaf-blindness and a former client of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, which is co-hosting the conference

Participants will network with others who experience the same challenges and successes, and become better informed about advocacy skills, technology for people with dual sensory loss, and companies that sell various adaptive products.

Oakes and other conference organizers are seeking volunteers to serve as Support Service Providers (SSPs). SSPs function as the “eyes and ears of deaf-blind people,” using voice or sign language interpretation to provide information that would otherwise be missed. Those who are interested must apply and be selected based on skill levels.

Over 150 participants and SSP volunteers from nine states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Massachusetts, New York, California and Alabama are currently scheduled to participate.

The conference agenda and more information are available on SHEP’s web site at Home - Sight-Hearing Encouragement Program (http://www.SHEP-ok.org). Participants and potential SSPs are encouraged to pre-register on the website or to phone 405-445-7152. Rachel Hollis, SHEP director of operations will be available to assist and answer questions.