1) Episode Summary

In this episode of Navigating Life with Vision Loss, Kim Wardlow sits down with Mindy Keene for a grounded and encouraging conversation about health, wellness, and the small choices that build a stronger foundation for life. Rather than focusing only on sports performance, this episode pulls back and looks at the bigger picture: sleep, hydration, movement, nutrition, stress, self-talk, and the mental side of lasting change.

Mindy shares her personal turning point after learning her lung function had dropped significantly, and how that moment forced her to take her health more seriously. She talks honestly about cutting back on sugar, learning to read labels, shifting her meals toward protein and vegetables, and starting with simple movement like walking. She also opens up about the emotional side of the journey, including stress, crying as release, using music to reset, and learning not to punish herself for being human.

The conversation also touches on practical barriers that can come with vision loss, from navigating gym spaces to advocating for oneself with doctors. Throughout the episode, the heart of the message stays the same: start small, be realistic, love yourself, and build one healthy choice at a time. It is a warm, practical episode that reminds listeners that progress does not require perfection, only consistency and grace.

2) Contact Info

Guest: Mindy Keene
Guest / Organization Contact: Not provided in the transcript.

Aftersight
Website: Aftersight
Email: feedback@aftersight.org
Phone: (720) 712-8856

Producer Credits:
Host: Kim Wardlow
Producer: Jonathan Price

3) Show Credits

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Mindy Keene
Producer: Jonathan Price
Network: Aftersight

• (00:00) - Chapter 1
• (00:20) - — Welcome to the sports series and why wellness comes first
• (01:30) - — Important note: this episode is encouragement, not medical advice
• (02:08) - — What wellness means right now
• (02:47) - — Mindy’s wake-up call: lung function, the scale, and needing change
• (04:59) - — First steps: cutting sugar, moving more, and reading labels
• (07:25) - — Sleep, white noise, boring books, and learning to rest
• (09:10) - — When the mind will not slow down: music as therapy
• (10:41) - — Healthy movement starts with walking
• (11:46) - — Motivation on tired days and using hype music to get moving
• (13:29) - — Food changes, loving yourself, and realistic goals
• (14:40) - — Grocery shopping, label reading, and learning cleaner options
• (16:46) - — Making healthier meals practical for the whole family
• (18:15) - — Avoiding “junk” ingredients and keeping food simple
• (19:24) - — Stress, overwhelm, and letting emotions out in healthy ways
• (22:42) - — Vision loss barriers, gym anxiety, and self-advocacy with doctors
• (25:51) - — Support systems, social media, and learning from others
• (29:52) - — Mindset, cravings, and giving yourself grace
• (30:47) - — Water, motivation, and measuring progress without shame
• (34:27) - — Where to start: drink more water and make one small change
• (37:03) - — The biggest takeaway: love yourself and build small goals
• (38:45) - — Audio darts, marriage, and discovering new confidence
• (40:05) - — Final encouragement and Kim’s closing challenge to listeners

1) Episode Summary

This episode continues the Navigating Life with Vision Loss sports series with a bold conversation on extreme sports. Host Kim Wardlow welcomes Shawn Cheshire, who shares her journey from vision loss after a traumatic brain injury to becoming a record-setting athlete in biathlon, cycling, hiking, and mountaineering. Together, they unpack misconceptions about blindness and risk, the role of fear in growth, and why communication, trust, and the right team matter more than special equipment in many outdoor pursuits. The conversation also explores rock climbing, water adventures, and mountaineering, while giving listeners practical encouragement to try something new, define failure differently, and take one meaningful step forward. The episode closes with Shawn’s reminder that the greatest barrier is often not disability, but access to people willing to do the adventure with you.

2) Contact Info

Guest / Organization
Shawn Cheshire
Choosing to See — choosingtosee.org
Instagram — @sean_cheshire
Shawn notes that reaching out through Choosing to See is a direct way to connect with her.

Aftersight
Aftersight
feedback@aftersight.org
(720) 712-8856

Producer Credits
Produced by Jonathan Price

3) Show Credits

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Shawn Cheshire
Producer: Jonathan Price

• (00:00) - Tempo: 120.0

1) Episode Summary

Kim Wardlow welcomes Evan Schwabrock, founder of Cane and Able Fitness, for a practical and encouraging conversation about getting started with strength training and gym fitness as a blind or low-vision person. Evan shares his story of losing most of his vision due to Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, how his background in kinesiology and disability studies shaped his work, and why he created Cane and Able Fitness to challenge the idea that disability means inability.

This episode focuses on real-world fitness basics rather than extreme performance. Evan breaks down the confidence, independence, and resilience that strength training can build, both inside and outside the gym. He offers encouragement for listeners who may have fallen off their goals, emphasizing that progress does not require perfection, only consistency, good systems, and sustainable habits.

Kim and Evan also walk through common misconceptions about blind and low-vision people in gyms, the difference between working out at home versus in a gym environment, how often someone really needs to work out to make progress, and what to do on that first day walking into a gym. Evan gives clear, accessible advice on gym safety, interacting with staff, using spotters, building around foundational strength movements, and understanding when it is time to increase weight or difficulty.

The conversation closes with myth-busting around fitness excuses, practical thoughts on working out with injuries or joint issues, and encouragement for listeners to stop waiting for the “perfect” time and simply begin in a way that works for them. It is a grounded, motivating episode for anyone wanting to get stronger, feel more capable, and approach fitness with vision loss in a way that is accessible and sustainable.

2) Contact Info

Guest / Organization
Evan Schwabrock
Founder, Cane and Able Fitness
Website: caneandablefitness.com
Socials: Cane and Able Fitness on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube

Aftersight
Website: Aftersight.org
Email: feedback@aftersight.org
Phone: (720) 712-8856

Producer
Jonathan Price
Podcast and Program Producer, Aftersight

3) Show Credits

Show: Navigating Life with Vision Loss
Host: Kim Wardlow
Guest: Evan Schwabrock
Producer: Jonathan Price
Organization: Aftersight

4) Chapter Markers

00:03 — Kim introduces the sports series and today’s focus on gym basics and strength training
01:35 — Evan shares his vision loss journey and the founding of Cane and Able Fitness
04:04 — Why strength training builds confidence, capability, and momentum beyond the gym
05:44 — Restarting fitness goals after falling off track and setting sustainable habits
07:23 — Misconceptions about blind and low-vision people working out in gym spaces
09:06 — How beginners can start small and ease into fitness without overwhelm
12:16 — Gym workouts versus home workouts: community, mobility, and accountability
15:10 — How often to work out when starting and why consistency matters more than volume
18:18 — First-day gym advice: asking staff for help, tours, and building support systems
19:27 — Safety in the gym, owning your space, and reducing avoidable hazards
22:16 — Foundational strength movements and how they connect to everyday function
25:07 — Machines versus free weights and why both have value in a training plan
...