self-determination Archives

How to Volunteer with Vision Loss: Real Stories and Practical Ideas

Posted on April 13, 2026 - 12:33 pm by Empish J. Thomas

Sandra Burgess along with her guide dog walks while carrying the Olympic Torch for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Editor’s note: April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week. The Points of Light established it 50 years ago. A chance to honor volunteer service arose. It also showed how volunteers can solve complex, large-scale challenges. Volunteers help build stronger communities. They can be a force that transforms the world. Rediscovering Purpose Through Volunteering For years, giving back […]

Archiving Stories of Blind People: More Than a Job, a Passion

Posted on April 6, 2026 - 12:16 pm by Empish J. Thomas

What can you do with an interest that doesn’t fit a traditional career path? Historians, genealogists, researchers, and archivists are all used to describe people who collect and preserve history. But Peggy Chong prefers a different title: storyteller. Since 2014, Peggy has been known as the Blind History Lady, sharing powerful and often overlooked stories about people who are […]

Blind Senior with Diabetes Gains Independence with CGM

Posted on March 26, 2026 - 3:10 pm by Empish J. Thomas

Nancy Duncan is a retired senior with diabetes. She was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2005 and was unsure of the cause. “Relatives in my family had it, but people weren’t diagnosed back then,” Nancy said. They just said you had the sugars and that was it.” Over the past 20 years, Nancy has learned how to manage her condition and advocate for herself. When she was […]

Five Accessible Heart Healthy Devices for People Blind and Low Vision

Posted on March 9, 2026 - 3:14 pm by Empish J. Thomas

woman taking blood pressure. She has the cuff on her arm and the monitor on the table in front of her.

American Heart Month, observed every February, is an initiative to focus on our hearts, keeping them healthy and strong. The month emphasizes making lifestyle changes like managing your blood pressure, your weight and taking your medications properly. People can use at home medical devices to help meet this goal. If you are blind or low […]

How Can Self-Compassion Save the Day?

Posted on February 3, 2026 - 11:01 am by lauralynnbrodie

illustration of a person with long dark hair holding a large red heart close to their chest on a white background.

Some days are just harder than others. Not because anything dramatic happens, but because you’re tired of explaining, adjusting, advocating, or holding it all together. For families living with low vision or blindness, these moments are part of everyday life, and this is exactly where self-compassion can heroically save the day. Self-love is about appreciation […]

Older posts