Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Aftersight
Aftersight
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Weekly

"Navigating Life with Vision Loss" is an Aftersight original podcast. In this seasonal format podcast, we answer your questions on a variety of topics surrounding vision loss. Need to know what to do in standing up for yourself? Wondering how to find a counselor or therapist? Do you need to know how to fill out patient forms in a crowded doctor's office? This show is for you. We're giving a voice to the challenges faced by people with blindness or vision loss. We're here as a resource for you, your family, and your friends. This service is made possible by generous donations. Consider supporting us at www.aftersight.org to help keep these resources free. Aftersight also provides free white canes, support groups, and more, all thanks to contributions from our community.

  1. 2h ago

    NLVL 405: They Took My Sight, Not My Vision - Chris "The Blind Steppa"

    Episode Summary Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder joins Kim Wardlow to share the story of losing his sight after being shot during a robbery in 2012, on the same day he received his EMS badge and was preparing to begin a new career. Chris describes leaving the hospital unable to see, spending years searching for a different medical answer, and resisting the reality of blindness even while learning some of the skills he would eventually need. Nearly eight years into that journey, a simple moment with his son became a turning point. With no one available to take his son to basketball practice, Chris chose to pick up his cane, trust God, and get him there himself. That decision began a new chapter of independence, acceptance, faith, advocacy, and purpose. Chris speaks candidly about depression, a suicide attempt, loneliness, grief, parenting, and the reality that accepting blindness does not mean the difficult days disappear. He explains how podcasting became a form of therapy and eventually a way to encourage people around the world who are navigating blindness, disability, trauma, and mental-health struggles. The conversation also explores the importance of finding community, seeking therapy, connecting with other blind and low-vision people, and refusing to allow disability to erase identity or ambition. Today, Chris is building his work as a motivational speaker, podcaster, advocate, and entrepreneur while challenging others to keep moving forward, even when life looks nothing like the future they originally imagined. Content Note This episode contains candid discussion of gun violence, depression, suicidal thoughts and a suicide attempt, trauma, grief, and recovery. Credits Show: Navigating Life with Vision LossHost: Kim WardlowGuest: Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” FelderGuest Podcast: Blind But Now I SeeProducer: Jonathan PricePresented by: Aftersight Contact Information Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder Website: officialblindsteppa.comInstagram: @official_blindsteppaPodcast: Blind But Now I SeeBooking Email: fobcnotenyc@gmail.comBooking Phone: 347-653-0076 Aftersight Website: aftersight.orgEmail: contact@aftersight.orgMain Office: 303-786-7777Listener Feedback: feedback@aftersight.orgFeedback Line: 720-712-8856 Producer Jonathan PriceEmail: jonathan@aftersight.orgOffice: 303-786-7777

  2. Sep 8

    NLVL 404: You Don’t Have to “Accept” Vision Loss - Shawn Cheshire

    Episode Summary  Vision loss is not simply a physical change. It can carry grief, fear, anger, depression, and the painful loss of independence. Those emotions do not follow a predictable timeline, and moving forward does not mean pretending they have disappeared.  Host Kim Wardlow welcomes Army veteran, Paralympian, and adventurer Shawn Cheshire back to Navigating Life with Vision Loss. Shawn candidly shares how a brain injury at age 36 led to total blindness, the depression and fear that followed, and the moment she realized she needed to choose what kind of life she would build.  Together, Kim and Shawn explore why grief can remain present years after vision loss, how sadness and gratitude can coexist, and why courage means moving forward while fear is still present. Shawn also discusses reclaiming activities she once believed were gone forever, learning to use a white cane, asking for help, setting boundaries, and giving yourself permission to heal without someone else’s deadline.  This conversation offers no shallow promise that everything becomes easy. Instead, it offers something more honest: you can grieve what was lost while still creating a meaningful, adventurous, and deeply fulfilling life.  Content note: This episode includes candid discussion of trauma, depression, and suicidal thoughts.  Credits  Host: Kim Wardlow Guest: Shawn Cheshire Producer: Jonathan Price Organization: Aftersight Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss  Contact Information  Shawn Cheshire   Website: ShawnCheshire.org Nonprofit: Choosing to See Instagram: @shawn_cheshire Documentary: Blind AFShawn’s nonprofit, Choosing to See, provides encouragement, opportunities, and assistance to people who are blind or visually impaired. Her documentary, Blind AF, follows her 3,600-mile cross-country journey on a single, non-tandem bicycle. Official documentary synopsis Aftersight   Website: Aftersight.org Email: contact@aftersight.org Phone: 303-786-7777  Listener feedback: feedback@aftersight.org Programming inquiries: Jonathan Price at jonathan@aftersight.orgChapters  00:11 Introducing Shawn Cheshire 01:00 How a Brain Injury Led to Vision Loss 03:22 Denial and the Hope of Getting Better 05:20 Depression, Grief, and Losing Independence 07:27 Why Grief Does Not Follow a Timeline 11:05 When Gratitude and Grief Coexist 13:23 Fear of Leaving the House 16:02 Choosing What Kind of Person to Become 17:59 Taking the Next Step While Still Afraid 19:56 Reclaiming Cooking After Seven Years 21:51 The White Cane and the Pressure to “Accept” Blindness 24:42 Why Sadness Can Remain Years Later 28:11 Vulnerability, Strength, and Public Expectations 30:08 Rebuilding Identity After Trauma 32:20 Resilience Through Blindness and Hearing Loss 34:39 Carrying the Emotional Weight 37:07 Helpful Support, Unwanted Help, and Self-Advocacy 41:22 What Shawn Would Say to Someone Still Grieving 43:19 Closing Thoughts and Aftersight Programs 45:15 Choosing to See and the Blind AF Documentary

  3. Sep 1

    NLVL 403: Life After Sudden Sight Loss: One Step at a Time with Lynn Jensen

    Episode description  At 27 years old, Lynn Jensen suddenly lost all her sight after an undiagnosed brain tumor led to emergency surgery. Her family was initially told she had only months to live. Lynn survived, but rebuilding her life required learning how to walk again, use a white cane, develop independent-living skills, and eventually trust the guide dog she never thought she wanted.  Lynn joins Kim Wardlow to speak honestly about grief, rehabilitation, family support, peer connection, Braille, assistive technology, and the small accomplishments that restore confidence after vision loss. She also shares how her experience led to a 25-year career as a vision rehabilitation specialist and inspired her book, Best Kept Secrets for Travelers with Sight Loss.  For Lynn, losing sight was devastating, but living with sight loss does not have to be. The path forward begins one step at a time.  Learn more about Lynn and her accessible travel guide at blindtraveltips.com.  Learn more about Aftersight’s programs, podcasts, and peer-support resources at aftersight.org.

  4. Aug 25

    S4:E02 - What Do I Do Now? Finding the Next Step After Vision Loss

    Navigating Life with Vision Loss Episode Title What Do I Do Now? Finding the Next Step After Vision Loss Show: Navigating Life with Vision LossHost: Kim WardlowGuest: Melody BettenhausenProducer: Jonathan PricePresented by: Aftersight Episode Summary What happens when your vision is changing and your eye doctor tells you there is nothing more medically that can be done? That sentence can sound like the end of the road. But as Kim Wardlow and Melody Bettenhausen discuss in this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, it may simply mean it is time to begin asking a different question: What can I still do, and what tools can help me do it? Melody joins Kim to explain the role of low vision rehabilitation and the work of Ensight Skills Center. They explore how low vision optometrists and occupational therapists help people identify usable vision, establish personal goals, and develop practical strategies for everyday life. Sometimes those solutions involve technology or orientation and mobility training. Other times they are surprisingly simple: better lighting, magnification, high-contrast materials, bump dots, reorganizing a workspace, or learning a different way to accomplish a familiar task. Kim and Melody also discuss why rehabilitation should begin before someone reaches a crisis point, the importance of letting the person experiencing vision loss determine their own goals, and how family members can help without unintentionally taking away independence. They look at aging in place, progressive vision loss, transportation, support groups, emotional adjustment, family education, and the reality that two people with vision loss may experience the world very differently. The central message is clear: when your vision changes, there are still options. You do not have to figure them out alone. Contact Info Ensight Skills Center Headquarters:1101 Oakridge Drive, Suite CFort Collins, CO 80525 Phone: (970) 407-9999Email: info@ensightskills.orgWebsite: ensightskills.org Ensight provides low vision rehabilitation and related services, with programs and outreach extending beyond its Fort Collins headquarters. Aftersight Phone: (303) 786-7777Email: contact@aftersight.orgWebsite: aftersight.orgAddress: 1805 Hwy 42, Suite 220, Louisville, CO 80027 Producer Jonathan PricePodcast and Program Producer, AftersightEmail: jonathan@aftersight.org Show Credits Show: Navigating Life with Vision LossHost: Kim WardlowGuest: Melody BettenhausenProducer: Jonathan PricePresented by: Aftersight Guest organization: Ensight Skills Center

  5. Aug 18

    S4:E01 When Vision Changes, Where Do I Even Start?

    Episode Summary  When your vision begins to change, one of the hardest questions can be the simplest: Where do I even start? In the opening episode of a new season of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow sits down with Empish Thomas and Pris Rogers from the APH Connect Center to talk about what comes next when vision loss enters your life.  Empish and Pris walk through the resources available through the APH Connect Center, including VisionAware, CareerConnect, FamilyConnect, and its Getting Started Guide. They discuss practical first steps such as understanding your diagnosis, connecting with vision rehabilitation, finding peer support, learning adaptive technology, and discovering ways to continue doing everyday tasks independently.  The conversation also gets into something deeper: the assumptions people make about blindness. Empish shares her own experience of losing her vision, finding rehabilitation on her own, developing a circle of support, and learning to advocate for herself. Pris emphasizes the importance of family and friends offering support without taking over, allowing a person experiencing vision loss to regain confidence and independence.  The message throughout the episode is practical and hopeful. Vision loss changes things, but it does not mean life is over. You do not have to figure everything out at once. Find good information, connect with people who understand, learn what resources are available, and take the next step one piece at a time.  Contact Information & Resources  APH Connect Center aphconnectcenter.org  Resources discussed through the Connect Center include:   VisionAware  CareerConnect  FamilyConnect  APH Getting Started Guide Aftersight aftersight.org The episode also mentions Hadley, Be My Eyes, the American Council of the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind, and vision rehabilitation services. The recording directs listeners specifically to APHConnectCenter.org and Aftersight.org. Show Credits Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss Host: Kim Wardlow Guests: Empish Thomas and Pris Rogers Producer: Jonathan Price Operational Company: Aftersight (00:14) - — A New Season: Where Do I Even Start? (01:30) - — Meet Empish Thomas and Pris Rogers (03:29) - — What Is the APH Connect Center? (05:25) - — What People Need When Vision Begins Changing (08:12) - — The Getting Started Guide (10:08) - — Finding Resources in Your State (11:39) - — Helping Without Taking Over (16:56) - — Adaptive Tools and Everyday Independence (20:53) - — Finding Peer Support (21:27) - — Resources for Every Stage of Life (25:19) - — What Vision Rehabilitation Actually Looks Like (27:47) - — The Biggest Misconceptions About Blindness (32:56) - — Building Support and Becoming Your Own Advocate (37:51) - — Take It One Step at a Time (40:14) - — Where to Find Help

  6. May 26

    Sports 315: The Rope Team That Makes Mountains Possible

    1) Episode Summary  In this final episode of the sports series, host Kim Wardlow is joined by Kelly Liggett from No Barriers and Christine Holmberg, Executive Director of Foresight Adventure Guides, for a conversation about coaching, mentorship, support systems, and the power of trying something new with the right people beside you.  Kelly and Christine explore how coaches, guides, mentors, friends, and organizations help people with vision loss move past fear, limiting beliefs, and the lie that “I can’t do this.” The conversation highlights the importance of patience, choice, trust, kindness, encouragement, and practical step-by-step support.  Christine shares stories from Foresight Adventure Guides, including a young skier who began the day frustrated and unsure but, through patient support, ended up thriving on the slopes. Kelly shares how No Barriers helps people break goals into manageable steps and build confidence through community, risk-taking, and meaningful support.  The episode also looks at the importance of representation, adaptive recreation, access to equipment, organizational collaboration, and the role of community in helping blind and low-vision individuals experience sports and outdoor recreation. The conversation closes with a preview of the upcoming collaborative fundraising hike in Winter Park with Aftersight, No Barriers, and Foresight Adventure Guides.  2) Contact Info  Guests / Organizations Kelly Liggett No Barriers Website: No Barriers  Christine Holmberg Executive Director, Foresight Adventure Guides Website: Foresight Adventure Guides  Aftersight Website: Aftersight.org Phone: (720) 712-8856 Email: feedback@aftersight.org  Producer Jonathan Price Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight  3) Show Credits  Host: Kim Wardlow Guests: Kelly Liggett and Christine Holmberg Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss Series: Sports Series Producer: Jonathan Price Organization: Aftersight  (00:15) - — Welcome and final sports series episode introduction (01:19) - — Coaching, mentorship, and support in sports (02:02) - — Christine on how coaches inspire confidence (03:54) - — Kelly on breaking big goals into small steps (04:53) - — Mentorship beyond formal coaching (07:07) - — A young skier’s breakthrough with Foresight (10:05) - — Limiting beliefs and the power of guided experience (12:48) - — What good coaching looks like (15:27) - — Choice, trust, and knowing when to adjust (18:47) - — Helping people try without forcing the experience (21:55) - — Learning, expectations, and not needing to be great right away (24:08) - — Rope teams, support systems, and calculated risk (27:07) - — How peers and friends encourage courage (30:01) - — Asking for help without shame (32:37) - — Why representation matters in adaptive sports (33:30) - — Eric Weihenmayer and expanding what feels possible (37:36) - — How organizations create access and opportunity (40:42) - — Community building beyond one-time experiences (43:04) - — Gaps in adaptive recreation and accessible sports (45:57) - — Why organizations should collaborate, not compete (47:16) - — Save the date: collaborative Winter Park fundraising hike (49:26) - — Christine’s closing thoughts (50:08) - — Kelly’s closing thoughts (50:56) - — Closing message from Kim

  7. May 19

    Sports 315: Feeling the Game with Erin Gaston of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment

    1) Episode Summary  In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow talks with Erin Gaston, Director of Guest Experience at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, about how technology and accessibility are changing the live sports experience for blind and low-vision fans.  Erin shares how her team supports guest experience across Ball Arena, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and the Paramount Theatre, including accessibility planning, guest relations, venue tours, sensory kits, assisted listening devices, captioning, and ongoing work toward digital wayfinding.  A major focus of the conversation is OneCourt, a tactile broadcast device available at Denver Nuggets games. The device connects to live game data and allows blind or low-vision fans to feel the movement of the ball on the court through vibration and tactile feedback. Erin explains how Kroenke Sports & Entertainment brought OneCourt to Denver, how guests can access it, and how the response has been overwhelmingly positive.  The conversation also highlights a bigger truth: accessibility is not just about compliance. It is about hospitality, dignity, and making sure more people can share in the joy, energy, and community of live sports.  2) Contact Info  Guest: Erin Gaston Director of Guest Experience Kroenke Sports & Entertainment  Venue Accessibility / Guest Relations: Website: ballarena.com Email: guestrelations@teamkse.com Phone: 303-405-8548  Aftersight: Website: aftersight.org Phone: 720-712-8856 Email: feedback@aftersight.org  Producer: Jonathan Price Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight  3) Show Credits  Navigating Life with Vision Loss is brought to you by Aftersight.  Host: Kim Wardlow Guest: Erin Gaston Producer: Jonathan Price Organization: Aftersight  (00:00) - — Welcome to Sports and Technology (00:40) - — Meet Erin Gaston (00:56) - — What Guest Experience Means at KSE (03:13) - — Why Accessibility Became a Bigger Focus (05:01) - — Introducing OneCourt (05:56) - — How OneCourt Works for Nuggets Fans (08:14) - — Promoting OneCourt to the Community (09:09) - — Guest Response to the Devices (10:57) - — Future Sports Possibilities for OneCourt (13:22) - — Other Accessibility Features at Ball Arena (15:20) - — Accessible Security and Entry (16:41) - — Requesting OneCourt Devices (17:00) - — Assisted Listening and Digital Wayfinding (18:53) - — Accessibility Across KSE Venues (20:32) - — Historic Venue Challenges at the Paramount Theatre (22:21) - — Encouragement for Hesitant Fans (24:26) - — Finding Help During an Event (25:26) - — How to Give Feedback (26:17) - — The Future of Accessibility at KSE Venues (27:36) - — Ball Arena Tours (28:41) - — Final Thoughts from Erin (29:13) - — Aftersight Walk and Hike Announcement

  8. May 12

    Sports 313: Beyond the Comfort Zone: Trust, Grit, and Adaptive Sports

    1) Episode Summary  In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, Kim Wardlow continues the sports series with Calli Roars and Terry Garrett for a conversation about adaptive recreation, guiding, trust, and what it takes to try new things safely.  Calli brings the guide and recreation-provider perspective, while Terry shares his lived experience as a blind athlete who has participated in goalball, wrestling, martial arts, triathlon, CrossFit, climbing, cycling, swimming, and endurance sports. Together, they talk about how most sports can be adapted, but the level of support, safety planning, communication, and trust will vary depending on the activity.  A major theme of the conversation is that trust is often the most important piece of adaptive equipment. Calli and Terry explain how that trust is built slowly through communication, practice, clear goals, and honest conversations when something is not working. They also discuss the difference between pushing past a comfort zone and ignoring safety, especially in activities like climbing, biking, and open-water swimming.  The episode closes with encouragement for listeners to take the first step, try again if a first experience did not go well, advocate for themselves, and look for community through recreation, sports, and local adaptive opportunities.  2) Contact Info  Guests: Calli Roars Terry Garrett  Organizations mentioned: Adaptive Adventures Foresight Adventure Guides No Barriers  Aftersight: Website: Aftersight.org Listener questions/comments: feedback@aftersight.org Phone: (720) 712-8856  Producer: Jonathan Price, Podcast and Program Producer at Aftersight  3) Show Credits  Navigating Life with Vision Loss is brought to you by Aftersight.  Host: Kim Wardlow Guests: Calli Roars and Terry Garrett Producer: Jonathan Price Aftersight: Bringing Print to Life  (00:11) - — Welcome to Navigating Life with Vision Loss (01:10) - — Introducing Calli Roars and Terry Garrett (01:28) - — Calli’s background in adaptive sports (02:01) - — Terry’s journey as a blind athlete (03:05) - — Favorite sports and finding endurance activities (04:17) - — How Calli and Terry met through Adaptive Adventures (05:46) - — Can almost any sport be adapted? (06:09) - — CrossFit, movement, and learning through adaptation (08:40) - — Independent training versus guide-supported activities (10:02) - — Balancing adventure with safety (13:39) - — Trust as the most important piece of adaptive equipment (16:09) - — What makes a good guide-athlete match (18:26) - — Learning through feedback, communication, and repetition (21:06) - — Why trying again matters after a difficult first experience (22:30) - — Terry’s swimming breakthrough (25:48) - — Knowing how hard to push (28:26) - — Honest conversations between guide and athlete (29:25) - — Biking, discomfort, and trust in real time (31:47) - — Safety, preparedness, and knowing when to change plans (34:02) - — Race-day community and showing up as a team (37:20) - — Final encouragement from Calli (38:03) - — Final encouragement from Terry (40:13) - — Aftersight hike opportunities and closing message

See All (157)

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

"Navigating Life with Vision Loss" is an Aftersight original podcast. In this seasonal format podcast, we answer your questions on a variety of topics surrounding vision loss. Need to know what to do in standing up for yourself? Wondering how to find a counselor or therapist? Do you need to know how to fill out patient forms in a crowded doctor's office? This show is for you. We're giving a voice to the challenges faced by people with blindness or vision loss. We're here as a resource for you, your family, and your friends. This service is made possible by generous donations. Consider supporting us at www.aftersight.org to help keep these resources free. Aftersight also provides free white canes, support groups, and more, all thanks to contributions from our community.

Information

More From Aftersight

You Might Also Like