Editor’s Note: February is Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) Awareness Month. Be sure to read Retinitis Pigmentosa: Two Stories One Message Part 1 in our series. Denying the Diagnosis As a young teenager, I seemed as normal as my friends; roller skating around the neighborhood, talking to girlfriends over the phone in quiet whispers about boys, badgering my brother … Continued
Did you know that Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is the most common inherited disease of the retina? There is much research being carried out worldwide to find a cure to this condition which affects one in every 4000 people in the United States, and around one in 5000 worldwide. In this 2-part series for RP Awareness Month in February, fellow … Continued
Observed on January 31st, Inspire Your Heart with Art Day is a time to think about how art affects your heart. Lynda McKinney Lambert, VisionAware peer advisor and award-winning artist, poet and author, is just the kind of artist that this day epitomizes. Lynda doesn’t let vision loss hinder her creativity. She has taught classes in writing and art in Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic and … Continued
At the beginning of each year, I like to share a selection of quotations on VisionAware – we are getting quite a healthy collection! I’ve been gathering quotes since my teens by writers, philosophers, artists, world leaders, inspirational speakers –anyone who captures words so beautifully, they inspire me to keep it for a rainy day. … Continued
The year 2020 has certainly been a year of many uncertainties. With this in mind, some of the peers at VisionAware would like to share the one main aspect to living they have particularly enjoyed in staying connected to a wider circle of “friends” during COVID-19 – reading a good book. A good book is … Continued
Photo by Maribel Steel Editor’s note: In celebration of National Dog Day August 26th, peer advisor Maribel Steel shares her experience of being paired up to a new guide dog in Australia. Decision Time For almost a decade, I’ve been using a white cane as my mobility aid. After my first guide dog went to … Continued
"Food is the true universal language that breaks down barriers and brings us all together—no matter who, where, or what we are." — Penny Melville-Brown, Blind Baker and Holman Prize winner When I read a message on the VisionAware message board several months ago, I knew I had to reply. It was an announcement by … Continued
Editor’s note: To celebrate the life of Louis Braille (1809-1852), who made reading and writing possible for people who are blind, we’d like to acknowledge his young entrepreneurial skill that changed "night writing" into a code of dots we know today as braille. VisionAware peer advisor Maribel Steel, shares an excerpt from her unpublished memoir. … Continued
As we begin a new year, some people may find themselves suddenly challenged by a new detour—having to navigate a life with low vision. I often find I have to renew my focus at times of great challenge and being legally blind with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), I sometimes think my parents should have given me … Continued
Do you often think about sharing your experience of vision loss but lack the resources to blog your own post? Perhaps you have a passion in other areas of your life you know would help others if they only knew what you knew, but coding a web post is not your forte? No problem—consider becoming … Continued