Member Stories

"Hadley has been life changing," Lauren Layne declares. "It is positive and encouraging and something I will use the rest of my life. I’m always looking forward to what I’m doing next."

Maria Snow was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 16. Retinitis pigmentosa causes the light-sensitive cells in the retina to fail, resulting in the loss of peripheral vision and, in some cases, total blindness.

For this support group leader, being independent goes hand-in-hand with being part of a community.

Nothing slows down this New Zealander, who learned braille as a child and loves to be reminded, "You can do things, no matter what your level of vision is."

During a 30+ year career in marketing and public relations, Gary Zarembski developed an approach to work and life that focused on big ideas.

Tom Piche of Rhode Island spent his entire career in the service industry. He grew up working on cars alongside his dad, an electrical engineer who also ran a garage helping friends and neighbors with their vehicles.

Through his generous gift of time and expertise, Ron has learned—more than once—that helping others is the best way to move forward.

Alejandra Sanchez is a 47-year-old mother of four from McAllen, TX. Born in Mexico, Alejandra moved to the US with her husband when their first two children were babies.

Sheila grew up in Southern California. When she married her husband, however, the couple decided they wanted the adventure of living somewhere completely different from their hometown.

Kimberly's advice to others with vision loss: "Losing your vision doesn't have to limit you as a person."