Sep 1, 2026

Doug Carr: Commitment to Hope and Progress for Family

When Doug Carr learned he had retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at age 38, he didn’t panic. Having watched his dad, who also had RP, cope with his own progressive vision loss, Doug took the news in stride.

“I had observed my Dad coping well with his growing blindness. He was a great role model for me. I knew onset would be a long slow process to which I could adapt myself, just as he was doing.”

That determination carried through his career with the Ontario government, where he spent 33 years, much of it negotiating and managing Indigenous land claims. By the time he began using a white cane, he was already serving as an Assistant Deputy Minister.

“People were very supportive,” he says.

Even in retirement, Doug continues to contribute, working part-time on Ontario’s only modern treaty negotiations with the Algonquins of Ontario in the Ottawa Valley.

Outside of work, Doug and his wife, Alison, enjoy life on their small horse farm north of Toronto, caring for their three horses and exploring the countryside. He also stays active cycling on his electric-assisted bike and volunteering on his local library board, helping plan an expansion of their main branch.

For Doug, RP has always been about family. The condition has affected multiple generations and branches, including his sons, one of whom has a positive diagnosis. His other son isn’t yet ready to be tested.

“Living with a heritable disease and having at-risk offspring is a real motivator to start giving when you can!”
Doug’s connection to Fighting Blindness Canada began through his father, who became a supporter soon after his diagnosis. Today, Doug continues that legacy through monthly giving and ongoing engagement.
Research is at the heart of why Doug supports FBC.

“It’s everything,” he says. “I know people with vision-loss often need support just to live in the present, but I am all about looking ahead.” He hopes research will lead to a cure and future generations will not need to wonder whether they have RP.

“Hope is better than despair because it drives positive change, both for you and for everyone else in the low-vision community.”