2528 Amateur Radio Then and Now (Jul. 9, 2025)

Show Notes

How does ham radio connect people worldwide? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with retired attorney and ham radio enthusiast John McCann (KW4U) about his experiences as a blind operator since the 1960’s, how modern equipment provides accessibility, and why this hobby is a fantastic way to make friends and serve as a vital emergency communication backup.

2527 Living Through Vision Lost and Vision Regained (Jul. 2, 2025)

Show Notes

Becoming blind can be a difficult transition, but how does one adapt after regaining sight? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Beth Pizzarello about losing vision due to RP, adapting to blindness, and undergoing innovative surgery that restored partial sight. They discuss her book ‘Eclipsed’ and her philosophy of embracing life’s changes.

2526 Encore of 1514 Beep Baseball (Jun. 25, 2025)

Show Notes

Beep Baseball is a variant of American baseball that has been adapted to be safe for its blind participants. Hosts Nancy and Pete Torpey speak with Blake Boudreaux and Stephen Guerra of the National Beep Baseball Association about how the game is played, what special equipment is used and the annual World Series of Beep Baseball.

2525 Rebuilding Life After Vision Loss (Jun. 18, 2025)

Show Notes

How does a blind athlete turn adversity into opportunity? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Tanner Gers, a Paralympic athlete and founder of AccessAbility Officer, about his journey from life-changing injury to empowering other blind individuals through employment, digital access, and inclusive athletics like beep baseball.

2524 Pathways to Employment in Digital Accessibility (Jun. 11, 2025)

Show Notes

How can visually impaired individuals access meaningful careers in digital accessibility? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Tanner Gers, CEO of AccessAbility Officer, about their training program that certifies blind professionals, providing them with real-world skills, apprenticeships, and employment opportunities in digital accessibility testing.

2523 Adapting to Combined Hearing and Vision Loss (Jun. 4, 2025)

Show Notes

How can individuals with both vision and hearing loss navigate daily life? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with author Deborah Kendrick about her book “When Your Ears Can’t Help You See: Strategies for Blind and Low Vision Individuals with Hearing Loss”. She shares personal experiences with hearing aids, apps, and finding supportive audiologists.

2522 Join the Insert J Club as JAWS Turns 30 (May 28, 2025)

Show Notes

The JAWS screen reader for Windows is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Elizabeth Whitaker about Freedom Scientific’s education initiatives, training resources, and new AI-powered FS Companion. They also introduce the new Insert J Club, a community for users to communicate and to access exclusive content and support.

2521 Advancing Treatments for Inherited Retinal Diseases (May 21, 2025)

Show Notes

Research is key to fighting blinding eye diseases. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Jason Menzo, CEO of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, about advancing treatments for inherited retinal diseases, funding research initiatives, and launching new mental health resources to support individuals with blindness and low vision.

2520 Accessible Devices Change Diabetes Care (May 14, 2025)

Show Notes

How do visually impaired individuals manage diabetes independently? Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Veronica Elsea and Patricia Maddix about accessible insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors, and their advocacy work for non-visual medical tools. Both women share their personal journeys navigating diabetes care as blind individuals.

2519 From Braille Music to the Big Screen (May 7, 2025)

Show Notes

Rod Clemmons, who has been blind since birth, shares his journey from being a classically trained pianist to an R&B performer, producer and composer. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Rod about his experiences as a visually impaired musician, his passion for rhythm and blues, and his work scoring the upcoming film ‘A Jeannie for Christmas’.