Limitless: Blind Beginnings Podcast

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Episodes

100

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Jun 2026

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About the show

When you are blind or partially sighted, many people believe your options are limited. However, we believe the possibilities are limitless! Brought to you by Blind Beginnings, the Limitless podcast will inform, entertain, and provide insight and interviews on many diverse topics and with many interesting people. With every episode you will see that the opportunities for people who are blind or partially sighted are truly ... limitless!

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60 recent

June 3, 2026Episode 23537 min

Episode 233 - Introducing 3B Printing Services

This week Shawn sits down with Youth Leaders Kaia, Nolan, and Jugaad to introduce 3B Printing, a new youth-led initiative by Blind Beginnings that creates low-cost, custom 3D-printed braille signage. They share how the idea grew out of the Youth Leadership Program and into a full-fledged venture, why braille signage is essential for freedom, inclusion, and safety, and some of the funny (and frustrating) braille 'fails' they’ve encountered in the wild. You’ll hear how a team of blind and low vision high school and university students are handling design, production, marketing, and sales, all while proving that accessibility doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. For more information on 3B Printing Services, visit: https://www.blindbeginnings.ca/3b-printing Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more

May 15, 2026Episode 23450 min

Episode 232 - Blindness 101 and National AccessAbility Week

This week Shawn is joined by returning guests and newly trained Blindness 101 facilitators Jennie Bovard and Kerry Kijewski to celebrate National Accessibility Week (May 31–June 6, 2026) and dive into Blind Beginnings’ exciting new initiative: taking the Blindness 101 workshop across Canada. If you’re part of a business, community group, school, medical office, cultural institution, or tourism organization anywhere in Canada and want your team to feel more confident, respectful, and inclusive when engaging with blind and low vision folks, this episode shows exactly why a Blindness 101 workshop is a powerful place to start. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more

April 30, 2026Episode 23348 min

Episode 231 - Simulating Blindness Part 2

In this continuation of the previous episode, Shawn is once again joined again by Clement and Kaia to explore what happens when sighted people actually simulate blindness through blindfold party games, 24‑hour YouTube challenges, team‑building trust exercises, sports like goalball, “dining in the dark,” and even professional O&M training. Together they unpack when blindfolds can be harmless fun or useful educational tools, and when they reinforce harmful stereotypes, emphasizing how intent, framing, and meaningful involvement of the blind community make all the difference in whether these simulations help or hurt understanding of blindness. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.

April 16, 2026Episode 23245 min

Episode 230 - Simulating Blindness Part 1

Join us for Part 1 of a special 2-part episode as Shawn sits down with co-hosts Kaia and Clement to unpack the troubling trend of sighted people simulating blindness for pranks, clout, and clicks on social media. Drawing on their lived experiences as blind and low vision individuals, they break down popular “blind prank” formats, explore how these videos shape public perceptions, and discuss the emotional toll of seeing disability turned into a joke. The trio also dive into cosplay, Halloween costumes, school plays, and the legal and ethical implications of using white canes as props, offering concrete guidance on what respectful representation or education can look like and where the line is crossed. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.

April 1, 2026Episode 23136 min

Episode 229 - Best Kept Secrets for Travelers With Sight Loss with Lynn Jensen

Get ready to travel this episode as Shawn sits down with Lynn Jensen who is a Registered Nurse, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, and newly published author of 'Best Kept Secrets for Travelers with Sight Loss'. Lynn shares how a simple request to jot down a few travel tips over Christmas break unexpectedly grew into a comprehensive guide for blind and low vision travelers. Drawing on decades of professional experience, Lynn offers a rich mix of practical strategies, personal stories, and confidence building advice when it comes to travel. Show Notes You can find Lynn’s book 'Best Kept Secrets for Travelers With Sight Loss' in multiple accessible formats at: www.blindtraveltips.com

March 19, 2026Episode 2301 hr 1 min

Episode 228 - Surviving P.E. with Blindness and Low Vision

Remember dodgeball day in gym class.? Now imagine playing it when you can’t see the balls flying at your face. In this episode of Limitless, Shawn and co-hosts Kaia and Nolan get real about the gym class experience for blind and low vision students. For a lot of youth, PE means getting sent to the weight room by yourself, standing on the sidelines flipping numbers for the scorekeeper, or pretending to know what's happening during a chaotic school basketball tournament. But Shawn, Kaia, and Nolan share how they survived the awkwardness and eventually traded in flying volleyballs for sports that actually worked for them. If you are a student dreading your next gym block, this conversation proves you don't have to repeatedly take a dodgeball to the face to be an athlete. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.

March 3, 2026Episode 22938 min

Episode 227 - Life With Buddy Dogs

In this heartwarming and hilarious episode of Limitless, Shawn sits down with Tom and Julie, two blind and low vision youth who share their lives with very special “career-change” canines: Bambi and Potter (yes, that Potter). They dive into what a “buddy dog” really is and how it’s different from a Guide Dog and why these dogs are perfect partners for kids and teens who aren’t quite ready (or old enough) for a Guide Dog. You’ll hear about tandem bike runs with Bambi, an 80‑pound snack-loving Potter, sibling “custody battles” over who gets the dog, and what it’s like to go from being nervous around dogs to not imagining life without one. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.

February 17, 2026Episode 22843 min

Episode 226 - Stamping Braille and Crushing Limits with Terry Hoddinott

This week Shawn welcomes entrepreneur and BrailleMasters founder Terry Hoddinott, whose frustration with inaccessible print sparked the creation of the cleverly low-tech “EmbossIt” Braille business card machine and a Braille business serving restaurants, governments, and organizations around the world. Terry and Shawn swap stories about the importance of braille and the challenges of braille production and then crank things up a notch with tales of riding 3200 km across Canada for cancer and what it's like scaling massive climbing walls as part of the Canadian Paraclimbing Team. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.

February 3, 2026Episode 22757 min

Episode 225 - Guide Dog Access Rights

This week is White Cane Week, and in this episode we are doing something special as Shawn is joined by co‑hosts Keisha and Jill for an open and honest conversation about Guide Dog access. Together, they explore the differences between Guide Dogs, Service Dogs, and Emotional Support Animals, what the law says versus what actually happens in real life, and how it truly feels to be denied access. Through candid personal stories and powerful advocacy, this episode shines a light on the everyday realities Guide Dog users face and why meaningful change is still needed. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.

January 20, 2026Episode 22652 min

Episode 224 - Making Minecraft Accessible

In this episode Shawn dives into the world of Minecraft with co‑hosts Kaia, Russell, and Clement to explore how a game that seems ultra-visual can actually be surprisingly accessible (and even educational) for blind and low vision players. They discuss what Minecraft actually is and why everything being made of 1x1 meter cubes is a big accessibility win and how the Minecraft Access Mod and screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver make it possible to explore, build, and fight zombies without sight. If you’ve ever thought video games “aren’t for people that are blind and low vision,” or you’ve got a child who keeps asking about Minecraft, this conversation might change your mind. It’s part geek-out, part guide, and full of creative possibilities. Blind Beginnings’ mission is to inspire children and youth who are blind or partially sighted and their families through diverse programs, experiences, counseling and peer support, and opportunities to create fulfilling lives. Visit us online at www.blindbeginnings.ca to find out more.