Navigating Life with Vision Loss – Details, episodes & analysis

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Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Aftersight

Business

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/9d. Total Eps: 161

"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.

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https://www.audible.com/pd/Sentenced-to-Blindness-Now-What-Audiobook/B08KBJNBY6?qid=1686760513&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=BS3124AHWFQK68AFG4MD&pageLoadId=Tum3EUtgdHJSEO8K&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c

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NLVL 409: The Missing Piece of Vision Loss: What Happens After Diagnosis?

Season 4 · Episode 29

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 • Duration 39:58

What happens after someone receives a vision loss diagnosis and walks out of the doctor's office? For many, the greatest challenges are only beginning.

In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, host Kim Wardlow welcomes Johnjoe Farragher, President and CEO of Hadley, to explore the often-overlooked emotional side of vision loss. Drawing from his listening tour and conversations with healthcare professionals and community organizations, Johnjoe discusses the enormous gap between clinical care and the practical, emotional, and personal support people need afterward.

Together, they explore grief, isolation, the importance of human connection, and how technology and AI can improve access without replacing genuine relationships. They also discuss how organizations can work together to reach people before they face a crisis.

Vision loss changes more than eyesight, and finding support shouldn't be another challenge people have to face alone.

Show Credits

Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Johnjoe Farragher, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hadley
Producer: Jonathan Price
Production: Aftersight

Contact Information

Website: www.hadleyhelps.org

Phone: 1-800-323-4238

Email: info@hadleyhelps.org

Phone support: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Central Time, according to Hadley's current homepage.

Mailing Address: 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093.

Vision Support for Older Adults

Follow Hadley on Social Media

Facebook — HadleyHelps

Instagram — @_hadleyhelps

LinkedIn — Hadley

YouTube — Hadley

Social links were traced from Hadley's website and its associated social profile directory.

Additional Hadley Resources

Hadley provides free access to practical learning resources, emotional support, peer connections, and technology training. Its resources are available online, through the Hadley Helps mobile app, by telephone, and through accessible mailed materials.

Aftersight

Website: aftersight.org
Listener Feedback: feedback@aftersight.org
Production Contact: jonathan@aftersight.org

Listen to more episodes of Navigating Life with Vision Loss and explore Aftersight's additional podcasts and accessible audio programming.

Chapter Markers

TIMESTAMP / CHAPTER Copy chapters

00:09 Welcome to Navigating Life with Vision Loss

01:55 Hadley's 106-Year Mission and Its New Leadership

03:41 From Educational Technology to Vision Loss Advocacy

07:16 The Emotional Toll of Vision Loss

10:10 Geographic Barriers and Technology Challenges

12:03 Combining Digital Accessibility with Human Support

16:00 Reaching People Before a Crisis

19:08 Creating a Standard of Care Beyond Diagnosis

22:09 Building Partnerships Across Organizations

25:43 Can Technology Replace Human Connection?

29:22 Why Authentic Voices Still Matter

32:48 The Conversations the Vision Loss Community Needs

34:21 How Everyone Can Help Close the Support Gap

36:22 Accessing Hadley's Free Resources

37:46 Aftersight Programs and Closing Announcements

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When Your Vision Changes: What Your Retina Is Telling You

Season 4 · Episode 28

Tuesday, October 13, 2026 • Duration 48:20

Our eyes can tell us a great deal about our overall health, but would we recognize the warning signs if something started to go wrong?

On this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, Kim Wardlow welcomes Dr. Emily Cole, an ophthalmologist, vitreoretinal surgeon, and assistant professor at CU Anschutz, for an informative conversation about retinal health. Together, they explore common conditions such as retinal detachments, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and inherited retinal diseases, along with the symptoms that should prompt a visit to an eye specialist.

Dr. Cole explains what patients can expect during retinal examinations, how treatments such as laser procedures, injections, and surgery work, and why communication between patients and their healthcare providers is so important. She also shares considerations for children, the role of family medical history, and how factors such as travel and altitude can influence recovery following retinal surgery.

Whether you're managing a retinal condition, supporting someone experiencing vision loss, or simply wanting to better understand your eye health, this episode offers practical information to help you recognize changes, ask better questions, and make informed decisions about your care.

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow

Guest: Dr. Emily Cole, Ophthalmologist and Vitreoretinal Surgeon, CU Anschutz

Producer: Jonathan Price

Podcast: Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Network: Aftersight

Contact Information

Aftersight

Website: https://aftersight.org

Email: feedback@aftersight.org

Dr. Emily Cole

Organization: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

NLVL 407 Today Is Not Forever: Finding Hope Through Vision Loss

Season 4 · Episode 27

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 40:23

Summary

Vision loss can change more than how you see. It can affect your confidence, your routines, and your sense of who you are. Kim Wardlow welcomes Ricky Enger from Hadley for an honest conversation about grief, feeling overwhelmed, and rebuilding confidence one small step at a time. Instead of trying to learn everything at once, Ricky encourages starting with one thing that would make today a little easier. Pasted text

They also explore Hadley’s free resources, finding connection with people who understand, and the importance of giving yourself room to adjust. For anyone feeling stuck, Ricky offers a reminder: “Today is not forever.”

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Ricky Enger, Hadley
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented by: Aftersight

Contact Information

Aftersight: aftersight.org
Questions, feedback, or guest inquiries: feedback@aftersight.org
Producer: Jonathan Price — jonathan@aftersight.org
Connect with Aftersight: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn

Hadley: hadleyhelps.org
Phone: 800-323-4238
App: Search for “Hadley Helps” in the App Store or Google Play. Contact Hadley to learn about its Adjusting and Coping Together series, support groups, and other resources discussed in this episode. Pasted text

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NLVL 406: Finding Support in the In-Between with Hadley

Season 2 · Episode 26

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 36:50

Vision loss rarely happens all at once, and figuring out what comes next can feel overwhelming. Kim talks with Cristi Stearns, Katie O’Connor, and Jim “Mac” McHolland from Hadley about free resources for people adjusting to vision loss, including emotional support, peer connections, practical workshops, technology training, Braille, and support for family and friends.

They also discuss why reaching out early matters and how Hadley can help people navigate the ongoing “in-between” as vision and circumstances continue to change.

Credits

Host: Kim Wardlow
Guests: Cristi Stearns, Katie O’Connor, and Jim “Mac” McHolland
Produced by: Aftersight

Navigating Life with Vision Loss is brought to you by Aftersight.

Resources

Learn more about Hadley and its free resources for people experiencing vision loss at HadleyHelps.org.

Healthcare providers and organizations interested in connecting with Hadley can visit HadleyHelps.org/partner.

For more information about Aftersight and our podcasts, visit Aftersight.org.

(00:00) - Finding Support After Vision Loss
(01:42) - Meet the Hadley Team
(03:01) - Connecting Patients with Hadley
(07:09) - Where Do You Begin?
(09:16) - The Donahoe Center for Support
(13:16) - Peer and Group Support
(14:33) - When You’re Not Ready Yet
(18:25) - Practical Everyday Resources
(19:19) - Technology and Adjusting to Vision Loss
(21:43) - Learning Braille
(24:15) - Hadley’s App and Digital Resources
(26:24) - Supporting People Around the World
(28:17) - Stories of Growing Independence
(30:50) - Support for Family and Friends
(32:02) - Between the Visits

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

Season 2 · Episode 25

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 34:04

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 Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Christopher “The Official Blind Steppa” Felder
Guest Podcast: Blind But Now I See
Producer: Jonathan Price Aftersight

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

Season 2 · Episode 24

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 • Duration 46:41

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

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

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

Season 2 · Episode 23

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 • Duration 39:42

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.

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

Season 2 · Episode 22

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 • Duration 43:05

Navigating Life with Vision Loss

Episode Title

What Do I Do Now? Finding the Next Step After Vision Loss

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Melody Bettenhausen
Producer: Jonathan Price
Presented 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.

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

Season 2 · Episode 21

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 • Duration 42:00

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.

Sports 315: The Rope Team That Makes Mountains Possible

Season 2 · Episode 20

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 • Duration 51:23

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

Jonathan Price Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight

Navigating Life with Vision Loss – Details, episodes & analysis

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Navigating Life with Vision Loss – Details, episodes & analysis

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