Retinal Realities

Happy Women's Day! Today is a day to celebrate the amazing women in our lives and to recognize the incredible contributions they make to our world. Let's take a moment to appreciate the strong, resilient, and inspiring women who have made a difference in our lives. Here's to all the women who have made a positive impact on our lives and our world! On today's podcast Karen and Claudette are joined...

Today on International Friendship Day 30 July 2023 we chat to Grant Medefindt. Grant is co-founder of a successful design agency in Cape Town. They have a growing and impressive portfolio of international corporate clients. After his family, his design and his dogs he is most passionate about his surfing. He has surfed J Bay, Mozambique, Maldives and Banyak Islands in Indonesia. Grant like all oth...

World Chess Day 20 July 2023 Chess is a game of strategy and skill that requires a great deal of concentration and focus. For a visually impaired person, playing chess can be a challenge, but it is not impossible. One of the most inspiring examples of a visually impaired person playing chess is that of Luzuko Ngwevwla from Cape Town. He learned to play chess in Worcester after going blind. Despite...

Retinal Realities, Youth Edition celebrates World Youth Skills Day (15 July 2023). On the podcast today Sonya and Samantha are joined by HiltonLangenhoven, who shares his phenomenal journey as a former paralympic athlete, world champion and commonwealth medallist. A story filled with courage, determination, and resilience about “chasing” your dreams and believing in leaps of faith.  “Don’t cheat y...

On the Youth Edition podcast today, we are joined by Charlie Dyasi and his guide dog Billy. Charlie is an inspiration to many. Despite his glaucoma, he has managed to become a successful sound engineer, voice over artist, radio presenter and podcast host. He has worked hard to develop hisskills and knowledge in the music and entertainment industry, ultimately pursuing his childhood dreams. He is a...

An introductory podcast which outlines the intention of the Retinal Realities Podcast: Youth Edition founded by Retina South Africa. This is a platform which will be used to empower, create awareness and support the youth of South Africa, who are living with a retinal condition. Through interviews with young people, their families and medical professionals the podcast will also explore the challen...

Welcome to the latest episode on the Retinal Realities Podcast "Paws at the Office" our guests today are Mariza Jurgens and her guide dog Dotty. Today on Bring your Dog to Work Day we celebrate Dotty. Mariza is an international renowned advocate for accessibility and is currently on the working group to improve information accessibility for the disabled in South Africa.  Mariza has a visual impair...

Happy Youth Day! We are so excited to have Alani Ferreira on the Retinal Realities podcast this week to remind the youth that they have the power to achieve anything they set their minds to. The message she is trying to get across is "Don’t let your disability limit you”, people are going to try and put you into a box, but the box has a lid, open the lid and climb out. Alani (25) was diagnosed wit...

World Ocean Week is celebrated from the 2-11 June with World Ocean Day being 8th June 2023, it is an important day to recognize and celebrate the ocean and its importance to our planet. It is a day to raise awareness about the ocean and its importance to our lives, and to take action to protect it. On today's podcast we interview Michele McFarlane, a parasurfer with Retinitis Pigmentosa who repres...

In this episode we chat to Linsay Engelbrecht - Paratriathlete who has competed around the world. Linsay was diagnosed at the age of 23 with Stargardts disease a genetic progressive eye disorder. Linsay wasn't very sporty until she met her husband Deon who encouraged her to go paddling with him and convinced her that she would enjoy running and cycling too. Linsay went on to run the Comrades in 20...

In this episode we talk to Claudette Medefindt, Head of Science at Retina South Africa. Claudette has Retinitis Pigmentosa and she was one of the founder Members of Retina South Africa and Retina SA were in turn one of the founder members of Retina International. Claudette is a trained peer Counsellor and is at present the National Secretary and also heads up the Science and Patient Services Sub C...

In this podcast Karen Denton Head of Advocacy and Awareness shares what listeners can expect from the Retinal Realities Podcast: Interesting information on retinal degenerative conditions, Discussions on the latest and greatest assistive devices and apps which help the visually impaired, Conversations and stories covering science, tech, family, relationships, careers, humour, inspirational triumph...