Blinded UBC student braces for life without sight

A UBC student blinded in a vicious attack while on a visit home to Bangladesh is facing an uncertain future after learning she'll never see again. A series of operationsfailed to restore her eyesight.

But her friends and colleagues say they're doing everything they can to help her cope.

On Monday, officials at the university saidfour operations had failed to restore the eyesight of Monzur.

Her teacher Lisa Sundstrom says Monzur was crushed by the news.

"She was quite upset and discouraged, but that's quite understandable. But then again when I saw her over the weekend her spirits had picked up quite a bit as she was being discharged from the hospital," she said.

Monzur wasblinded as a result of a June assault while on a visit to her native Bangladesh. Her husband, Hasan Sayeed Sumon, faces charges.

In a statement, Monzur says she will comment on the diagnosis after she's had time to recover from her surgeries.

Sundstrom sayslife will likely be a roller coaster of ups and downs for Monzuras she adjusts to her loss of sight.

"She's a very strong person and I would say generally an optimist by nature, but it's hard to imagine she's going to be able to maintain that constantly," said Sundstrom.

Sundstrom says Monzur plans to finish her masters in political science and the university and a number of student associations have raised $60,000 to help make her dream come true.

It's going to be an uphill battle, but Sundstrom says Monzur is determined to do it.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind spokesman John Mulka says his organization will try to help Monzur live an independent life by teaching her how to get around her home, how to cook and how to get out to UBC to continue her studies.

"Mobility specialists will meet with Rumana and will travel the route with her. In this case she'll likely be a cane user," said Mulka.

"Once she leaves her home to travel to the University of British Columbia to continue her studies we're going to be working with her on safe travel if she's using public transit, how to navigate her way from her home to the bus stop and find her classes in the university," he said.