Meet our #Warrioroftheweek, Sarah💙
Spotlight on: Sarah
Hey there!
My name is Sarah, and I am a young disabled woman on a mission to normalize disability, spread awareness, and challenge misconceptions around it. I create content on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, sharing my life as a disabled person, lifestyle vlogs, and much more!
I have had mild Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) for as long as I can remember, although it was never formally diagnosed. It didn’t significantly impact my life until I turned 16. At that point, my vision went from pretty good to pretty bad. My whole vision became clouded by static, and I started experiencing night blindness, bad depth perception, and severe light sensitivity. During the day, it felt like the brightness was turned up to the maximum every day. I had already dealt with chronic illnesses when I was younger, but my vision had never been affected. Initially, I attributed it to my Autism, but as time passed and it worsened, I suspected something was wrong.
I went to the eye doctor to address my vision problems, and that’s when we noticed my peripheral vision was off, and my symptoms were definitely not normal. The eye doctor referred me to a specialist, and after a few appointments, I was finally diagnosed with Visual Snow Syndrome.
VSS has certainly changed the way I live my life. I now rely on a multipurpose guide dog and wear sunglasses frequently. I can only drive when I feel comfortable, which can be frustrating. However, my goal isn’t to seek pity but to show people that despite my disability, I can still enjoy life and do the things I love, even if they may look a little different. I can still ride and work with horses, drive a car (surprising to many!), train my own service dog, and indulge in my love for makeup and fashion, even though they are highly visual activities.
I want people to take away from my story that life comes with challenges, but no matter how difficult they may seem, you can overcome them. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, I promise!
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Let’s continue to raise awareness and support one another on our unique journeys. 💪🌟
