Dr. Lynn Hellerstein of Vision Beyond Sight speaks with Sarah Metsch, a strong and resilient Disability Rights advocate, activist, and public speaker supporting inclusion, civil rights and equality for all. She was diagnosed with spina bifida as a child and endured a severe spinal cord injury as an adult. Today she passionately talks about her resilience through physical, mental, and emotional challenges while staying centered and practicing self-care through devastating loss, in the hopes that her story will encourage others to find their resilience and light, especially during turbulent times.

Click here and tune in to the show now to explore:

• What it feels like to outlive adversity
• How Sarah have survived a lifetime of medical procedures and medical emergencies, and predictions for her life
• Sarah’s passion for helping others
• How to stay positive and focused in the eye of catastrophic loss
• How to enact self-care and self-love

Sarah Metsch is a strong and resilient Disability Rights advocate and activist for Colorado and the country. Sarah is passionate about working with individuals of All abilities and their families creating inclusion as well as supporting civil rights, racial equity, and justice for all.

Growing up with a disability, Sarah experienced painful truths and injustices about how individuals with disabilities and their families are treated. This sparked Sarah’s determination to seek long-term change for her community.

With a life expectancy of thirteen, Sarah’s tenacity and strong work ethic developed out of long painful medical procedures and hospital stays. Diagnosed with Spina Bifida at age two and a half, Sarah has endured over seventy operations and life-saving procedures including involved spinal and orthopedic surgeries, the amputation of her left leg, experimental procedures and treatments, toxic shock, and death.

Sarah began her career at age twelve, volunteering at The Children’s Hospital. The experience gained eventually catapulted Sarah into working with students in special education classrooms and volunteering her time with state councils and committees holding the self-advocacy seats.

Sarah’s skills as a public speaker lead her to share ongoing testimony at the state capital for system change and disability-related legislation. 

She was asked to work with the Department of Education supporting parents of children with cross disabilities, and in 2014, Sarah joined the Autism Society of Colorado to create programs and policies supporting the population. Recently, Sarah’s activism alongside lifelong advocates and local disability rights organizations gained international attention when Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act were threatened by the last administration.

At the height of her work success, Sarah endured a severe spinal cord injury combined with catastrophic loss, changing the trajectory of her life forever.

Sarah is here today to talk about her resilience through physical, mental, and emotional challenges while staying centered and practicing self-care through devastating loss. Sarah hopes her story will encourage others to find their resilience and light, especially during turbulent times.

Connect with Sarah Metsch:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Sarah’s greatest passion is helping others by sharing her story with individuals, schools, organizations, and businesses to spread her messaging of hope. Most recently, Sarah’s life was profiled for the Lotus Network as July’s Lotus Lady.

Lotus Network | Lotus Lady (July)

Progress Now Colorado (Save Medicaid video)

Google Sarah Metsch for additional media and nonprofit campaigns and activism.

"I always really try to practice optimism. For me, knowing that whatever situation that I’m in, especially if it’s challenging, to have optimism and to know that it’s not permanent, that whatever is happening is going to change. And so as long as my brain can remember that there’s going to be a change at some point and that if I can navigate it with optimism and truth, things usually work out. I live in the present moment." – Sarah Metsch

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Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, Developmental Optometrist, co-owner of Hellerstein & Brenner Vision Center, P.C., award-winning author and international speaker, holds powerful and inspiring conversations with her guests in the areas of health, wellness, education, sports and psychology. They share their inspirational stories of healing and transformation through their vision expansion. Vision Beyond Sight Podcast will help you see with clarity, gain courage and confidence. Welcome to Vision Beyond Sight!

Dr. Lynn’s books are available at Amazon.com and www.lynnhellerstein.com/shop.

Dr. Lynn is available for speaking engagements and consulting. For more information, visit www.lynnhellerstein.com.

To learn more about vision therapy or to find a doctor providing vision therapy in your area, visit COVD.org.

To learn more about vision and the impact in concussion/brain injury, visit Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association.

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