June 23rd, 2018 I attended USA Climbing's National Championship for Adaptive Climbers in Ohio. Training for 4 months to get in the best shape I could. It took 3 hours of climbing with 85 other adaptive climbers but I did it. Won in the visually impaired category making me the 2018 VI National Champ! This means the opportunity to represent the USA at a world competition in Austria come September, but I need help getting there!
I’m trying to raise funds to go to Austria and compete on the world stage and represent people with visual impairments! I have several goals I’m trying to achieve with this. Bringing more awareness to climbing in to visual impaired community and create a spotlight on this amazing community of adaptive climbers. These individuals are not only athletes and like family but they are inspirational. They all have this attitude of “if you want to do it, it can be done.” I think it could change so many lives if more people were exposed to this!
Any support is truly appreciated! I want to go represent our country and be the best I can be. I’ll push my limits and fight for gold but I need your help!!
So I little about my journey.
I was 13 and a goofball. One morning I noticed something was off which began after my Mom took me in to get a routine vaccination. After the doctor's appointment I was dropped back off at middle school and noticed my vision seemed a little blurry. Being a teenager I said nothing for weeks and finally after being called on during math class to read something on the board I couldn’t. I came home and mentioned it to my parents.
My parents made note but did not rush me to the eye doctor. You see; they had good reason not to take me too seriously. As a kid I was known to embellish stories. At the age of 3 I was dared to put a rock up my nose. Always up for a dare I stuck the rock up my nose, a little too good. That night I proceed to brag about the story of the dare and how the rock was still in my nose, just hanging out. All though dinner my parents nodded and said the appropriate responses of “wow” and “such a daredevil”. By the end of dinner though, they were worried I might be telling the truth. So after 8 hours of having a rock stuck in my nose my dad grabbed a flashlight and tweezers. And low and behold to their surprise there was a little pebble stuck up in my sinus canal. So, when my parents didn’t rush me to a ophthalmologist and scheduled an appointment for a week and a half later they had good reason.
That visit was were things changed. The Ophthalmologist technician had me cover each eye and follow the tip of a pen. I covered my left and followed it in a circle with my right. When I covered my right eye and she asked me to follow it with my left eye I thought she was trying to trick me. The pen had disappeared! I didn’t realize that the pen was there and something was seriously wrong. They rushed to get the doctor and my dad asked in a very weird and weary voice, “Whit, did you really not see the pen?” That was the beginning of my life changing in ways I never imagined.
Series of specialist but eventually ended up at OHSU at the Casey Eye Institute. There I was treated a number of different ways; from oral steroids to injections in my eyes. For months they tried to figure out what was going on. After about 6 months of treatment and being at the university weekly they diagnosed me with Uveitis and Ocular Immunology which results are Macular Degeneration. Uveitis and autoimmune disease is a group of disorders that result in inflammation to the inner layers of the eye, which may lead to ocular damage and loss of vision.
This is will give you a view into how I see the world today.
The hypothesis was that it was immune related. But honestly nobody was sure. They were able to stabilize my left eye but I had lost almost all vision. Good news was my right eye seemed unaffected!
Life went on. There were some adjustments but I did all the regular teenage things like get my drivers license. I continued training in classical ballet (which is a whole other story that shaped my life in amazing ways), skied with my family, and was a typical teenager.
My junior year of high school at the age of 17 my life really changed. I woke up one morning and went to go wash my face. Splashed some water and soap and as I was drying my face looked up to see no refection. A little rush of panic hit me, blinking hard several times, hoping It was “sleep”, or my eyes adjusting to the morning light, but I just couldn’t seem to shake it off. I remember walking downstairs and telling my Mom that I needed to go to the doctor right now. It is funny to think back on it; I was very calm during this whole period. For me it didn’t seem real until the doctor said so. After an emergency visit lasting 6 long hours, 4 test, and 4 doctors examining my right eye it was official. Massive hemorrhaging in my eye that would create scarring on my retina and would most likely cause permanent vision loss.
Battling major flare ups over the next 4 years each time losing a little bit more vision. At the age of 19, my doctors proposed an aggressive form of treatment to try to hold off on any more vision loss. This treatment was 6 months of oral chemotherapy. They believed if they could suppress my immune system so it couldn’t attack my eyes and I might be able to save what vision I had left. Being young and willing to try anything I agreed.
I spent my first year of college sleeping 5 hours during the day in between classes and 9 to 10 hours a night. My hair began to fall out in the front, and I began to look like a skeleton. But didn’t had not had a flare up with my vision since starting the treatment. It wasn’t until about 5 months in went in for a routine check up and there was more activity and scaring; for me that was the final straw. Pleading with my doctors that it wasn’t working, and the damage to my kidneys and liver was not worth it; I can live without sight but cannot live without vital organs! After much debate all treatment stopped and I only saw my specialist 3 times a year and on emergency situations.
Climb Time
I continued to have flare ups and loss of vision but I physically felt better as I came off all the meds. The following year moved to Arizona to attend Design School at ASU for Industrial Design. My junior year one my my friends in the design program was going out camping; something I had not done since my early teens. She invited me along and mentioned they would be climbing as well. I totally agreed not really knowing what that meant… “climbing?”
I froze my butt off that night camping, not having any of the appropriate gear. We packed up that morning and headed to a local crag in AZ called The Pond. As we scrambled and crawled up the faces to the cliffs the reality of what I had agreed to started to take shape as an 80 foot walls was above me. As my friends unpacked the gear and lead the climbing to set up a top rope, I sat very quietly with very sweaty palms. After two friends cursed the route they brought me up on the ledge where the climb starts. They put a harness on me and let me borrow a pair of climbing shoes that were 2 sizes too big, and just told me to go up. I was scared shitless, but started up the route. After about an hour (and I’m not exaggerating) I reached the top. My arms were shaking, had 6 flappers (this is where your skin rips off the pads of your fingers exposing raw skin) and I was hooked. It was the most intense adrenaline rush I had ever had. I seriously couldn’t stop smiling for for the next week.
So, for the last 8 years my life has revolved around climbing and being outdoors.. I have made some amazing friends who helped me figure out how to do all the things I wanted, despite my vision.
5 years ago I met this amazing guy who never let me use any excuses, showed me my weaknesses, and pushed me to climb harder. This guy was Sean Spring, my now fiancé. Without him none of this would be possible! Most visually impaired climbers use a sight guide when climbing. When I am on the climbing wall Sean calls out where to put my feet and hands and what direction to go. Without him I'm lost!
What is Adaptive Climbing?
Over the years my vision has worsened but it is just a way of life. My vision loss has given me so many opportunities and blessings in life. I was a very independent young woman; to the point where I relied on nobody and put little value in long term friends. Losing my vision has taught me to appreciate my family and friends and all their support. Learning to ask for help and finding that people are always there with a hand to help you up. It took me the longest to accept my impairment and own it. I was never ashamed to be legally blind but had a hard time accepting that sometimes I had to do things differently. But that never meant I couldn't do all the tings I wanted to, they just had to be done my way. It just might take a little longer or I might have to try a little harder. Finding the Adaptive Climbing community has given me the support to go out and achieve my hearts desire.
Prior to 2018 I had never meet another Adaptive Climber and honestly did not even know what that meant. Adaptive Climbing consist of 4 categories, visually impaired, amputee, neurological, and seated. But really it is just a group of climbers who have to figure out how to get up the climbing wall a little differently.
Through their support and a lot of hard work a I trained and prepared for Nationals. I had done numerous comps in the past but never one of this magnitude. It meant the world to me to be-able to climb amongst such strong athletes! My goals now is to use climbing to start a open and educational-conversation that might help bridge social barriers and share the support of the amazing adaptive community!
Thanks again for reading my story. Any support is truly appreciated!
Social media
Adaptive Climbing Group
I’m trying to raise funds to go to Austria and compete on the world stage and represent people with visual impairments! I have several goals I’m trying to achieve with this. Bringing more awareness to climbing in to visual impaired community and create a spotlight on this amazing community of adaptive climbers. These individuals are not only athletes and like family but they are inspirational. They all have this attitude of “if you want to do it, it can be done.” I think it could change so many lives if more people were exposed to this!
Any support is truly appreciated! I want to go represent our country and be the best I can be. I’ll push my limits and fight for gold but I need your help!!
So I little about my journey.
I was 13 and a goofball. One morning I noticed something was off which began after my Mom took me in to get a routine vaccination. After the doctor's appointment I was dropped back off at middle school and noticed my vision seemed a little blurry. Being a teenager I said nothing for weeks and finally after being called on during math class to read something on the board I couldn’t. I came home and mentioned it to my parents.
My parents made note but did not rush me to the eye doctor. You see; they had good reason not to take me too seriously. As a kid I was known to embellish stories. At the age of 3 I was dared to put a rock up my nose. Always up for a dare I stuck the rock up my nose, a little too good. That night I proceed to brag about the story of the dare and how the rock was still in my nose, just hanging out. All though dinner my parents nodded and said the appropriate responses of “wow” and “such a daredevil”. By the end of dinner though, they were worried I might be telling the truth. So after 8 hours of having a rock stuck in my nose my dad grabbed a flashlight and tweezers. And low and behold to their surprise there was a little pebble stuck up in my sinus canal. So, when my parents didn’t rush me to a ophthalmologist and scheduled an appointment for a week and a half later they had good reason.
That visit was were things changed. The Ophthalmologist technician had me cover each eye and follow the tip of a pen. I covered my left and followed it in a circle with my right. When I covered my right eye and she asked me to follow it with my left eye I thought she was trying to trick me. The pen had disappeared! I didn’t realize that the pen was there and something was seriously wrong. They rushed to get the doctor and my dad asked in a very weird and weary voice, “Whit, did you really not see the pen?” That was the beginning of my life changing in ways I never imagined.
Series of specialist but eventually ended up at OHSU at the Casey Eye Institute. There I was treated a number of different ways; from oral steroids to injections in my eyes. For months they tried to figure out what was going on. After about 6 months of treatment and being at the university weekly they diagnosed me with Uveitis and Ocular Immunology which results are Macular Degeneration. Uveitis and autoimmune disease is a group of disorders that result in inflammation to the inner layers of the eye, which may lead to ocular damage and loss of vision.
This is will give you a view into how I see the world today.
The hypothesis was that it was immune related. But honestly nobody was sure. They were able to stabilize my left eye but I had lost almost all vision. Good news was my right eye seemed unaffected!
Life went on. There were some adjustments but I did all the regular teenage things like get my drivers license. I continued training in classical ballet (which is a whole other story that shaped my life in amazing ways), skied with my family, and was a typical teenager.
My junior year of high school at the age of 17 my life really changed. I woke up one morning and went to go wash my face. Splashed some water and soap and as I was drying my face looked up to see no refection. A little rush of panic hit me, blinking hard several times, hoping It was “sleep”, or my eyes adjusting to the morning light, but I just couldn’t seem to shake it off. I remember walking downstairs and telling my Mom that I needed to go to the doctor right now. It is funny to think back on it; I was very calm during this whole period. For me it didn’t seem real until the doctor said so. After an emergency visit lasting 6 long hours, 4 test, and 4 doctors examining my right eye it was official. Massive hemorrhaging in my eye that would create scarring on my retina and would most likely cause permanent vision loss.
Battling major flare ups over the next 4 years each time losing a little bit more vision. At the age of 19, my doctors proposed an aggressive form of treatment to try to hold off on any more vision loss. This treatment was 6 months of oral chemotherapy. They believed if they could suppress my immune system so it couldn’t attack my eyes and I might be able to save what vision I had left. Being young and willing to try anything I agreed.
I spent my first year of college sleeping 5 hours during the day in between classes and 9 to 10 hours a night. My hair began to fall out in the front, and I began to look like a skeleton. But didn’t had not had a flare up with my vision since starting the treatment. It wasn’t until about 5 months in went in for a routine check up and there was more activity and scaring; for me that was the final straw. Pleading with my doctors that it wasn’t working, and the damage to my kidneys and liver was not worth it; I can live without sight but cannot live without vital organs! After much debate all treatment stopped and I only saw my specialist 3 times a year and on emergency situations.
Climb Time
I continued to have flare ups and loss of vision but I physically felt better as I came off all the meds. The following year moved to Arizona to attend Design School at ASU for Industrial Design. My junior year one my my friends in the design program was going out camping; something I had not done since my early teens. She invited me along and mentioned they would be climbing as well. I totally agreed not really knowing what that meant… “climbing?”
I froze my butt off that night camping, not having any of the appropriate gear. We packed up that morning and headed to a local crag in AZ called The Pond. As we scrambled and crawled up the faces to the cliffs the reality of what I had agreed to started to take shape as an 80 foot walls was above me. As my friends unpacked the gear and lead the climbing to set up a top rope, I sat very quietly with very sweaty palms. After two friends cursed the route they brought me up on the ledge where the climb starts. They put a harness on me and let me borrow a pair of climbing shoes that were 2 sizes too big, and just told me to go up. I was scared shitless, but started up the route. After about an hour (and I’m not exaggerating) I reached the top. My arms were shaking, had 6 flappers (this is where your skin rips off the pads of your fingers exposing raw skin) and I was hooked. It was the most intense adrenaline rush I had ever had. I seriously couldn’t stop smiling for for the next week.
So, for the last 8 years my life has revolved around climbing and being outdoors.. I have made some amazing friends who helped me figure out how to do all the things I wanted, despite my vision.
5 years ago I met this amazing guy who never let me use any excuses, showed me my weaknesses, and pushed me to climb harder. This guy was Sean Spring, my now fiancé. Without him none of this would be possible! Most visually impaired climbers use a sight guide when climbing. When I am on the climbing wall Sean calls out where to put my feet and hands and what direction to go. Without him I'm lost!
What is Adaptive Climbing?
Over the years my vision has worsened but it is just a way of life. My vision loss has given me so many opportunities and blessings in life. I was a very independent young woman; to the point where I relied on nobody and put little value in long term friends. Losing my vision has taught me to appreciate my family and friends and all their support. Learning to ask for help and finding that people are always there with a hand to help you up. It took me the longest to accept my impairment and own it. I was never ashamed to be legally blind but had a hard time accepting that sometimes I had to do things differently. But that never meant I couldn't do all the tings I wanted to, they just had to be done my way. It just might take a little longer or I might have to try a little harder. Finding the Adaptive Climbing community has given me the support to go out and achieve my hearts desire.
Prior to 2018 I had never meet another Adaptive Climber and honestly did not even know what that meant. Adaptive Climbing consist of 4 categories, visually impaired, amputee, neurological, and seated. But really it is just a group of climbers who have to figure out how to get up the climbing wall a little differently.
Through their support and a lot of hard work a I trained and prepared for Nationals. I had done numerous comps in the past but never one of this magnitude. It meant the world to me to be-able to climb amongst such strong athletes! My goals now is to use climbing to start a open and educational-conversation that might help bridge social barriers and share the support of the amazing adaptive community!
Thanks again for reading my story. Any support is truly appreciated!
Social media
Adaptive Climbing Group
Organizer
Whitney Pesek
Organizer
Draper, UT