Navigating Disability

From Vision Loss to Victory: How Sport Helped Aaron Fowler Reclaim His Life

Kate Read and Jenn Abbott Season 1 Episode 44

In this powerful episode of Navigating Disability, Kate and Jenn sit down with Aaron Fowler. He’s a senior physiotherapist, sports journalist, and vision-sports advocate living with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Diagnosed at age five, Aaron shares the reality of his condition: tunnel vision, night blindness, and a future of unpredictable sight loss. He opens up about how he learned to navigate school, university, sport, and mental health through courage, community, and a deep sense of purpose.

You’ll hear:

  • what retinitis pigmentosa is, and how Aaron has adapted from childhood to now
  • how sport, especially blind cricket, vision‑impaired rugby, and the Disability Sports Podcast, became not just an outlet, but a lifeline
  • the hard truth about mental health, isolation, burnout, and how Aaron found hope again
  • advice for anyone who feels stuck, without support, or unsure how to move forward

Trigger warning: this episode mentions depression, anxiety, thoughts of self‑harm. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a trusted person, or a mental health service. Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14.

If Aaron’s story inspires you, share this with someone who might need to hear it. Subscribe to Navigating Disability for more honest stories and real insights, and leave us a review if this episode spoke to you.