In this episode of Off The Beaten Path I am interviewing Taryn dickens. Taryn, who has Cone-Rod Dystrophy, shared her experience of being diagnosed at the age of 35 and how it has led to a new life of sports and helping others. She is currently preparing for her first World Cup and is excited about the opportunities ahead. I really admire her resilience and adaptability in the face of change.

More about Taryn
Taryn is an 42 year old adventure seeker who is new to blindness. She was diagnosed with Cone-Rod Dystrophy at 36 years old and hasn't looked back (pun intended).

After taking time to grieve, she transitioned from track cycling as a non adaptive athlete to Para Nordic skiing and Para Biathlon as a Vision Impaired Athlete. She had never skied before her sight difficulties, so she has been training hard. Now two years since first getting on snow she is off to her first world cup events representing Australia this January in Europe.

She hopes to qualify for the 2026 Winter Paralympics and be the first Australian woman to compete as a Para Cross Country skier and Biathlete. She says, "My blindness has changed my life so much for the better and I am going to keep pressing forward to prove that not only women can do anything but so can everyone no matter their ability." She lives with vision which is different, not lost.

You can connect with Taryn

Insta @lowvisionathlete

Facebook Taryn Dickens - Low Vision Athlete

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