Lena Ladhams the Group Support, & co-ordinator of the Vision Australia I-Sight Community Group joins Simon and Andrew for an informative & interesting chat. We learn all about what this monthly community group has to offer and its main purpose & aims.

Lena has been supporting this free community group since 2022, as a volunteer to assist with the coordination and facilitation of the group. Hosted by Vision Australia Perth is available to anyone who is blind or low vision. The group offers the opportunity to connect, listen and share experiences with others in a friendly and social environment.

Mostly the group learns from each other in a supportive friendly environment. They sometimes also might get in guest speakers or go on recreation activities & events.

Lena’s passion and dedication is tremendous and we got a real sense of the value and importance of this type of group, bringing people together allowing them to explore and discover from each other different ways of living with blindness or low vision.

Join like-minded individuals for a quick catch-up chat or a lengthy ‘Yarn’ and a cuppa once a month.
Date: Third Wednesday of every month
Time: 10.00am – 11.30am
Venue: Senses WA - Level 4, 20 Parkland Road, Osborne Park

Lena Ladhams
Group Support Volunteer
Vision Australia.
E: Lena.Ladhams@visionaustralia.org
http://www.visionaustralia.org

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Recently a team from DADAA, in Fremantle, Western Australia went to Canberra to conduct some interviews and other projects for Radio DADA. And, this week on In Plain Sight Simon has collated three samples of their fabulous work and reporting from Parliament House.

We have chosen three interviews that the Radio DADA Reporters conducted with two politicians and one Parliament House staff person with links to Disability. It’s fantastic to hear directly from people working in this space about both their personal and professional life experiences as people with a disability.

It is estimated that from the 226 parliamentarians there are about 4 openly disabled people identified in a 2025 research analysis of Australia's federal Parliament.

A 2025 Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplace Report found that 12.5% of the 56 parliamentarians who provided diversity information reported a long-term health condition, mental illness or disability affecting routine tasks. That is approximately 7 people in that responding group, not the full Parliament.

And, we have captured the thoughts of 3 of this cohort.
We really appreciated what DADAA have done here and think it is a fascinating group of conversations.
A very interesting listen - please Enjoy

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This week we are talking with Colleen Ashby, who had a heart transplant in 2017, which due to complications left her also becoming blind.But, Colleen’s natural optimism, determination and generous spirit used this life changing event as a motivational force. She is also an example of someone who is driven by a strong sense of purpose linked to community and a desire to `Give Back`.

On Sunday 1st November 2026; Colleen wil join 19 other team leaders with heart or lung transplant recipients along with hundreds of riders on either a 34km or 60km route through South Perth.For the Breaths And Beats ride fundraising for Heart and lung research.Now in its third year the Capital Limited Breaths and Beats Ride for Research is a great way to help change the lives of West Australians with advanced heart and lung disease by funding dedicated research.
Colleen Ashby who never sits still and is always doing so much for other people and great causes is one of the many people who wil be participating in this bike ride to help raise essential funds to further research into heart and lung disease and research.

Local support for heart and lung transplant patients in Western Australia is provided by the Heart & Lung Transplant Foundation of WA, which offers equipment loans, patient advocacy, and community programs connected with Fiona Stanley Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital. And will be one of the main beneficiaries of this fundraising event in Perth in November.

To support the Breaths And Beats ride fundraising for Heart and lung research.go to the CAPITAL LIMITED BREATHS AND BEATS RIDE FOR RESEARCH, website.
Breaths and Beats Ride for Research 2026breathsandbeatsride.org.au
To support Colleen Ashby specifically go to
Colleen Ashby - Capital Limited Breaths and Beats Ride for Research 2026breathsandbeatsride.org.au

Join Colleen in changing the lives of West Australians with heart and lung disease by joining the ride or donating today.

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