441. "I think my blindness has taught me and given me far more than it's taken from me." David Westbrook shares his illuminating insight and illustrious vision.

Unhindered by juvenile glaucoma that took his sight at age 17, David Westbrook has proven that vision has nothing to do with one's ability to see. He founded Corporate Communications Group, a communications and public relations firm he sold before taking his talent and dedication to longtime client Children's Mercy where he served as Westbrook currently serves as senior vice president for strategy and innovation at Children's Mercy. His expertise in strategy design and crisis management has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS. "One of the things it's caused me to identify are certain talents that have to do with the way I can communicate with people, sense what people need and want, what their concerns are," said David Westbrook.  "I really believe we're never given a challenge that exceeds the talent we've been given to deal with that challenge.  In my life, that's been the case. Blindness, which many people would think was a burden, to me, has become an asset," David attributes his lifetime of success to his parents and to the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His alma mater awarded him with an honorary doctorate at the 2018 College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony which he gave the address to the graduating class at Swinney Recreation Center on campus.