Our first guest on Talking Vision this week is a passionate digital access advocate. She also has lived experience with vision loss, having been diagnosed later in life. But she's also telling her story on Kintsugi heroes right here on Vision Australia Radio. Her name is Noelle Gatti and she joins me now. Noelle, welcome to the show. Thank you very much for your time.

Our first guest on Talking Vision this week is a passionate digital access advocate. She also has lived experience with vision loss, having been diagnosed later in life. But she's also telling her story on Kintsugi heroes right here on Vision Australia Radio. Her name is Noelle Gatti and she joins me now. Noelle, welcome to the show. Thank you very much for your time.

Oh, Sam, it's lovely to actually meet you.

Oh, Sam, it's lovely to actually meet you.

And you too. Now, firstly, Noelle, why don't we get a little bit of an introduction from you? Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

And you too. Now, firstly, Noelle, why don't we get a little bit of an introduction from you? Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Yes, Sam, I'm in my late 50s now. I lost all functional vision about two and a half years ago, but I've got a deteriorating eye condition that was diagnosed when I was 42. And I'm a mum of three wonderful sons and very, very proud of my son. I'm a daughter. I'm a sister, I'm a cousin, I'm a friend. And I'm also advocating for digital accessibility throughout the community because I see such a big, important need of it.

Yes, Sam, I'm in my late 50s now. I lost all functional vision about two and a half years ago, but I've got a deteriorating eye condition that was diagnosed when I was 42. And I'm a mum of three wonderful sons and very, very proud of my son. I'm a daughter. I'm a sister, I'm a cousin, I'm a friend. And I'm also advocating for digital accessibility throughout the community because I see such a big, important need of it.

Tell us a little bit about your digital accessibility work that you do.

Tell us a little bit about your digital accessibility work that you do.

Yeah. Look, I volunteer with a company called Digital Access Solutions, assistive technology. We all have disability, so I see shapes. The director, Mike Muscat, sees light and shade. And then the other director who's Alan Parker, he's dyslexic. And so Alan flies all over the world. He's dispute resolution expert and all types of things. And the three of us looked at our ages and realised in this day and age, there is no reason why people that use assistive technology in any form, and I'm talking people with cognitive brain impairments, dyslexia, autism spectrum, physical problems, anything auditory processing, the lot. Why there's this gap where they can't access the information. The technical methods are doing it. Are there the guidelines the standards are there. Just people don't know about it. So we decided we'd do something. And Alan's closer to retirement than me. I was laugh and say, yeah, I've got about nine years to retirement and let's see what we can do. Let's educate. And we're educating small to medium businesses predominantly, but we'll talk to anyone. And the reason for that is most people with disability deal with small to medium sized businesses every day. You shop, know your small IGA, your cafe, your hairdresser, your anything and everything and they do. The NDIS service providers. Their small business and not one of these people seem to understand how digital accessibility gives the independence. It enhances the communication.

Yeah. Look, I volunteer with a company called Digital Access Solutions, assistive technology. We all have disability, so I see shapes. The director, Mike Muscat, sees light and shade. And then the other director who's Alan Parker, he's dyslexic. And so Alan flies all over the world. He's dispute resolution expert and all types of things. And the three of us looked at our ages and realised in this day and age, there is no reason why people that use assistive technology in any form, and I'm talking people with cognitive brain impairments, dyslexia, autism spectrum, physical problems, anything auditory processing, the lot. Why there's this gap where they can't access the information. The technical methods are doing it. Are there the guidelines the standards are there. Just people don't know about it. So we decided we'd do something. And Alan's closer to retirement than me. I was laugh and say, yeah, I've got about nine years to retirement and let's see what we can do. Let's educate. And we're educating small to medium businesses predominantly, but we'll talk to anyone. And the reason for that is most people with disability deal with small to medium sized businesses every day. You shop, know your small IGA, your cafe, your hairdresser, your anything and everything and they do. The NDIS service providers. Their small business and not one of these people seem to understand how digital accessibility gives the independence. It enhances the communication.

It certainly does. Noel. And speaking of communication, we will get back to the podcast that you're also involved with and the radio program Kintsugi heroes will come back to that later. And your involvement there. But I want to just go back and have a bit of a chat about your vision loss from age 42 and the feelings and how you overcame that, and how you managed life after the change and adapted your life in that way.

It certainly does. Noel. And speaking of communication, we will get back to the podcast that you're also involved with and the radio program Kintsugi heroes will come back to that later. And your involvement there. But I want to just go back and have a bit of a chat about your vision loss from age 42 and the feelings and how you overcame that, and how you managed life after the change and adapted your life in that way.

Well, it was diagnosed at 42, but it's a genetic condition I've got. And, you know, I grew up right out bush on a cattle property and mum and dad, once they realised it was nine when I first got glasses and they thought it was just short sighted. And, you know, my sight kept deteriorating a bit. But they thought it was just, you know, it's just what happened. You're short sighted. And then when I was 42, actually, you know, I'd been driving that day. I'd been to work. I, you know, my kids were still teenagers, late primary, early high school. And I got a new set of glasses, went to the optometrist, said, oh, your glasses are a bit of a problem here. And she's also one of my very good friends. And I walked out legally blind, you know, space for 45 minutes. And, you know, I remember my husband actually drove us home, and I remember being pretty shell shocked in one way, but at the same time, it was mum hat firmly on. By the time we were halfway, only ten minutes back to the house and thinking okay, food, homework, but find out how the boys went, get the lunches ready for tomorrow, you know, get everything ready for the next day. And then I was, you know, it was back into being the mum mode. And I'm really proud two of my sons are on the autistic spectrum. So it was, you know, one of them had much higher needs than the other, but it was getting them there. And it was only like when I started walking from the train to work, realizing why I was so scared in that walk all the time. And it was a bit scary because I couldn't work out. People would suddenly jump in front of me because I had a really good case of tunnel vision at that stage, and I thought they were jumping in front of me. They weren't. I just couldn't see them, didn't know they were there. And it was all types of issues. And because being brought up at Bush, my dad was a World War Two veteran. We were really taught to be resilient, taught to think outside the square and just get on with it. So. I just had to. You know, it's so important that my boys were successful as much as I could assist them to be successful, but they had to learn all the things that teenagers have to learn, and that was important. And so I think our hardest part, it was only sort of later on when I'd go to read and I think, oh, I can't read anymore, and I love reading, or I used to do a lot of handicrafts, and that started having to stop and sewing and things. And then when I had to stop work because I couldn't literally do the work because my sight wasn't good enough. And that's when it really that was the hardest, because I had to sit because I'm very light sensitive with this as well. So I had to I basically was home for three months, sitting in a dark room while the headaches settled down. And I think so, you know, the boys by that stage, they were independent and it was really, oh my gosh, how am I going to do this now? And that's when Mark Muscat, the other director of Digital Access Solutions, sort of said, stop being an idiot, gave me a bit of a talking to. But was it easy? At times it wasn't, but I didn't focus on it. I you know, I was lucky. One of my good friends at the time, her brother in law, was legally blind. So he got on the phone to me and I, I met some wonderful people, and I've done things that I would not have done if I hadn't had this issue. You know, I'd have probably still been out doing the garden, working full time, driving the car, doing the things I would have done. But because my life has changed so drastically, I'm doing things I would never have thought of doing and I'm having a ball doing it. What did you think? No. Was it emotionally quite hard? Oh yeah. I've had a few counseling sessions talking my way through this, not being able to read and not being able to do my handicrafts and not being able to do all these other things. And I am Ahern. So I drove I learned to drive when I was about eight. So at 42, having to hand my driving license then and I did have a fair few speeding tickets, I was a bit of a hoon. And I still love cars and I'll sit there and quite happily talk car because I absolutely love them. You know, realistically, you've just got to get on with it, you know? Certainly. Is it easy?

Well, it was diagnosed at 42, but it's a genetic condition I've got. And, you know, I grew up right out bush on a cattle property and mum and dad, once they realised it was nine when I first got glasses and they thought it was just short sighted. And, you know, my sight kept deteriorating a bit. But they thought it was just, you know, it's just what happened. You're short sighted. And then when I was 42, actually, you know, I'd been driving that day. I'd been to work. I, you know, my kids were still teenagers, late primary, early high school. And I got a new set of glasses, went to the optometrist, said, oh, your glasses are a bit of a problem here. And she's also one of my very good friends. And I walked out legally blind, you know, space for 45 minutes. And, you know, I remember my husband actually drove us home, and I remember being pretty shell shocked in one way, but at the same time, it was mum hat firmly on. By the time we were halfway, only ten minutes back to the house and thinking okay, food, homework, but find out how the boys went, get the lunches ready for tomorrow, you know, get everything ready for the next day. And then I was, you know, it was back into being the mum mode. And I'm really proud two of my sons are on the autistic spectrum. So it was, you know, one of them had much higher needs than the other, but it was getting them there. And it was only like when I started walking from the train to work, realizing why I was so scared in that walk all the time. And it was a bit scary because I couldn't work out. People would suddenly jump in front of me because I had a really good case of tunnel vision at that stage, and I thought they were jumping in front of me. They weren't. I just couldn't see them, didn't know they were there. And it was all types of issues. And because being brought up at Bush, my dad was a World War Two veteran. We were really taught to be resilient, taught to think outside the square and just get on with it. So. I just had to. You know, it's so important that my boys were successful as much as I could assist them to be successful, but they had to learn all the things that teenagers have to learn, and that was important. And so I think our hardest part, it was only sort of later on when I'd go to read and I think, oh, I can't read anymore, and I love reading, or I used to do a lot of handicrafts, and that started having to stop and sewing and things. And then when I had to stop work because I couldn't literally do the work because my sight wasn't good enough. And that's when it really that was the hardest, because I had to sit because I'm very light sensitive with this as well. So I had to I basically was home for three months, sitting in a dark room while the headaches settled down. And I think so, you know, the boys by that stage, they were independent and it was really, oh my gosh, how am I going to do this now? And that's when Mark Muscat, the other director of Digital Access Solutions, sort of said, stop being an idiot, gave me a bit of a talking to. But was it easy? At times it wasn't, but I didn't focus on it. I you know, I was lucky. One of my good friends at the time, her brother in law, was legally blind. So he got on the phone to me and I, I met some wonderful people, and I've done things that I would not have done if I hadn't had this issue. You know, I'd have probably still been out doing the garden, working full time, driving the car, doing the things I would have done. But because my life has changed so drastically, I'm doing things I would never have thought of doing and I'm having a ball doing it. What did you think? No. Was it emotionally quite hard? Oh yeah. I've had a few counseling sessions talking my way through this, not being able to read and not being able to do my handicrafts and not being able to do all these other things. And I am Ahern. So I drove I learned to drive when I was about eight. So at 42, having to hand my driving license then and I did have a fair few speeding tickets, I was a bit of a hoon. And I still love cars and I'll sit there and quite happily talk car because I absolutely love them. You know, realistically, you've just got to get on with it, you know? Certainly. Is it easy?

No, no. And there's a lot there that people don't really talk about. You know, you don't hear about so much the light sensitivity and those things you don't hear about, oh, I can't, you know, read my favourite book as much. But have you gotten into audiobooks and those sorts of things or. Um, I do, yeah. No, they're great aren't they?

No, no. And there's a lot there that people don't really talk about. You know, you don't hear about so much the light sensitivity and those things you don't hear about, oh, I can't, you know, read my favourite book as much. But have you gotten into audiobooks and those sorts of things or. Um, I do, yeah. No, they're great aren't they?

I flog audiobooks.

I flog audiobooks.

Oh, they're.

Oh, they're.

Fantastic that I used to love reading because I used to love a lot of Australiana. There's a really great author called Iris Portis. He wrote cattlemen, Few Others, and one of my favourite books, which is a book called Brigalow. And you cannot get that on audio. It just doesn't exist. The books that I really love. There was another Australian author called Eve Timms that wrote in the 20s and 30s and 40s. Their books are not on audio, and you'll never get them on audio because they're books that have gone out of print and they're old books. And, you know, those really old some of those old style books. But I read all types of genre anyway, so I've just adapted because what choice do you have? But, you know, today, like watching TV, I used to love history and I still love history. And you know, I love my footy. But NRL is not the same. Watching it as listening to it, you know, I miss watching it because I used to get quite involved in the state of origin and all of those things, and I can't do it. And that freedom to be able to just hop in the car and go to the shop, I miss that it is one of the hardest things, even to find different ingredients when you're cooking new ingredients and that doesn't happen anymore, you have to adjust. You have to accept because it's, you know, people get old anyway. And I laugh and say, now, well, I'm just going to beat you to it. You know, you guys are going to have to learn. I've already done all that. I'm not going to be as hard on me when things change as they get older, because I've already lost my sight. It's just a different way of thinking. And you really do have to change your thinking because you've got two options. Sit in the corner and cry or laugh and crying hurts everyone. Laughing and getting on with it helps people. Which is the better way.

Fantastic that I used to love reading because I used to love a lot of Australiana. There's a really great author called Iris Portis. He wrote cattlemen, Few Others, and one of my favourite books, which is a book called Brigalow. And you cannot get that on audio. It just doesn't exist. The books that I really love. There was another Australian author called Eve Timms that wrote in the 20s and 30s and 40s. Their books are not on audio, and you'll never get them on audio because they're books that have gone out of print and they're old books. And, you know, those really old some of those old style books. But I read all types of genre anyway, so I've just adapted because what choice do you have? But, you know, today, like watching TV, I used to love history and I still love history. And you know, I love my footy. But NRL is not the same. Watching it as listening to it, you know, I miss watching it because I used to get quite involved in the state of origin and all of those things, and I can't do it. And that freedom to be able to just hop in the car and go to the shop, I miss that it is one of the hardest things, even to find different ingredients when you're cooking new ingredients and that doesn't happen anymore, you have to adjust. You have to accept because it's, you know, people get old anyway. And I laugh and say, now, well, I'm just going to beat you to it. You know, you guys are going to have to learn. I've already done all that. I'm not going to be as hard on me when things change as they get older, because I've already lost my sight. It's just a different way of thinking. And you really do have to change your thinking because you've got two options. Sit in the corner and cry or laugh and crying hurts everyone. Laughing and getting on with it helps people. Which is the better way.

Yeah. And you've talked a bit about your work and how you got involved there and, you know, the passion for digital accessibility that you do have. And that's also, of course, led on to the podcast that you've been doing and interviews and being involved with various programs and podcasts such as Kintsugi Heroes, but also the podcast addressing accessibility needs. So tell us a little bit about your work there behind the microphone.

Yeah. And you've talked a bit about your work and how you got involved there and, you know, the passion for digital accessibility that you do have. And that's also, of course, led on to the podcast that you've been doing and interviews and being involved with various programs and podcasts such as Kintsugi Heroes, but also the podcast addressing accessibility needs. So tell us a little bit about your work there behind the microphone.

Yeah. So I've been in a few podcasts as guests, but the one that I run is called the Digital Access Show. And thank you to the wonderful Aldwin Oulton who helped us come up with the name. And it's all about digital accessibility, but it's looking at it from every point of view I can find, whether it's the small business trying to say, well, we actually can't afford to do it, we don't have that profit margin to do it to, okay, what's the quick, simple way that you can do something small that costs nothing? And so we've had different businesses on we talk to people that have digital accessibility issues, like the wonderful Alice Carter Edwards who talked about her hearing impairment and just the issues she has going to the shop, because it is a huge issue with the tannoy. And she says shopping is just all she hears is sound, and it's like she's been bombarded with it or like someone with a vision impairment living in regional Queensland. Well, Jean Ross, she has some. I mean, she had to stay at stand at a train station for three hours in the dark because she had to get the train to the next town to go home. No one there. She can't read the signs, so she knew she just had to stay there, you know? And that would have been a little bit scary for her. Well, pretty scary actually. But you know what I mean. There's all these people out there, like there's a guy called Patrick Dillon, and he became a quadriplegic in his late 30s, I think mid late 30s. And he now works full time there with talked to disability employment specialists. We've talked to web developers about just how easy it is to incorporate digital accessibility designer web design people. Shannon Towle You know, we've talked to Alan Parker about dyslexia and his story, and it's an amazing story about how he's just lived his life. And Alan still, I think he's early 70s. He's fantastic. He doesn't let anything stop him. Mark Muscott that just said, no, well, get on with life. And so we're talking to all these people we've got coming up like an NDIS service consultant about how he works with NDIS service providers and talking about his concepts and his thoughts about digital accessibility. Because the more different thoughts we can get, the more that people see that actually, it's not really hard to do and it should be done. The more we're going to enhance everyone's communication.

Yeah. So I've been in a few podcasts as guests, but the one that I run is called the Digital Access Show. And thank you to the wonderful Aldwin Oulton who helped us come up with the name. And it's all about digital accessibility, but it's looking at it from every point of view I can find, whether it's the small business trying to say, well, we actually can't afford to do it, we don't have that profit margin to do it to, okay, what's the quick, simple way that you can do something small that costs nothing? And so we've had different businesses on we talk to people that have digital accessibility issues, like the wonderful Alice Carter Edwards who talked about her hearing impairment and just the issues she has going to the shop, because it is a huge issue with the tannoy. And she says shopping is just all she hears is sound, and it's like she's been bombarded with it or like someone with a vision impairment living in regional Queensland. Well, Jean Ross, she has some. I mean, she had to stay at stand at a train station for three hours in the dark because she had to get the train to the next town to go home. No one there. She can't read the signs, so she knew she just had to stay there, you know? And that would have been a little bit scary for her. Well, pretty scary actually. But you know what I mean. There's all these people out there, like there's a guy called Patrick Dillon, and he became a quadriplegic in his late 30s, I think mid late 30s. And he now works full time there with talked to disability employment specialists. We've talked to web developers about just how easy it is to incorporate digital accessibility designer web design people. Shannon Towle You know, we've talked to Alan Parker about dyslexia and his story, and it's an amazing story about how he's just lived his life. And Alan still, I think he's early 70s. He's fantastic. He doesn't let anything stop him. Mark Muscott that just said, no, well, get on with life. And so we're talking to all these people we've got coming up like an NDIS service consultant about how he works with NDIS service providers and talking about his concepts and his thoughts about digital accessibility. Because the more different thoughts we can get, the more that people see that actually, it's not really hard to do and it should be done. The more we're going to enhance everyone's communication.

And how did you get involved with people like Ian Westmorland and the Kintsugi Heroes crew and all of those people?

And how did you get involved with people like Ian Westmorland and the Kintsugi Heroes crew and all of those people?

It was interesting actually. I go to business networking meetings to talk about digital accessibility, and I met a guy there called Peter Ria. I think that was on one of the online ones, because I do a few online ones. Um, and we got to talking and, you know, about different things. And he said, oh, I've got to introduce you to this bloke. And I said, oh, yeah, I'll have a chat to anyone. And that's how I met Ian through that Ian that runs the Katsuki heroes. And then Ian started telling me his story and I was actually fascinated. It was probably my third career. Well, it is actually. But people change careers midstream. The reasons why they do it, you know, the passion they have for it is it just points out how people have different passions at different stages of their lives. And how it directs their lives. And talking to Ian was really, really interesting. And then he asked me to be on Katsuji Hero, and I said, what's that? And he explained it and I said, yeah, okay, I'll do it. And I just thought, you know what he's done in getting Katsuki Heroes off the ground and running? I think it's phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal, because it just points out that you can do anything if you want to.

It was interesting actually. I go to business networking meetings to talk about digital accessibility, and I met a guy there called Peter Ria. I think that was on one of the online ones, because I do a few online ones. Um, and we got to talking and, you know, about different things. And he said, oh, I've got to introduce you to this bloke. And I said, oh, yeah, I'll have a chat to anyone. And that's how I met Ian through that Ian that runs the Katsuki heroes. And then Ian started telling me his story and I was actually fascinated. It was probably my third career. Well, it is actually. But people change careers midstream. The reasons why they do it, you know, the passion they have for it is it just points out how people have different passions at different stages of their lives. And how it directs their lives. And talking to Ian was really, really interesting. And then he asked me to be on Katsuji Hero, and I said, what's that? And he explained it and I said, yeah, okay, I'll do it. And I just thought, you know what he's done in getting Katsuki Heroes off the ground and running? I think it's phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal, because it just points out that you can do anything if you want to.

And we're looking forward to hearing you on Kintsugi Heroes. But in the meantime, Narelle, what's the best way for people to head along and listen to your program, the Digital Access Show?

And we're looking forward to hearing you on Kintsugi Heroes. But in the meantime, Narelle, what's the best way for people to head along and listen to your program, the Digital Access Show?

It's on Amazon, Spotify, the Apple Podcast. It can be found on any of the major podcast channels that you use. Just look for us, it's the digital digital Access Oasis show, and it is really about getting as many points of view across as possible, because if we can, it's all about education and educating from different points of view. Even down to there was a lady called Amber Adcock who's got a thumb that on the autistic spectrum, level three non-verbal, and how she communicates with him and the issues and where she sees things going. And yeah, fantastic. Just the people I'm meeting are wonderful.

It's on Amazon, Spotify, the Apple Podcast. It can be found on any of the major podcast channels that you use. Just look for us, it's the digital digital Access Oasis show, and it is really about getting as many points of view across as possible, because if we can, it's all about education and educating from different points of view. Even down to there was a lady called Amber Adcock who's got a thumb that on the autistic spectrum, level three non-verbal, and how she communicates with him and the issues and where she sees things going. And yeah, fantastic. Just the people I'm meeting are wonderful.

I've been speaking today with Noel all about her journey with vision loss, how she overcame various barriers, but also the fantastic work she's currently doing in the digital access space. Noel, thank you so much for your time today. It's a pleasure to have a chat with you and look forward to hearing you on Kintsugi heroes in the not too distant future.

I've been speaking today with Noel all about her journey with vision loss, how she overcame various barriers, but also the fantastic work she's currently doing in the digital access space. Noel, thank you so much for your time today. It's a pleasure to have a chat with you and look forward to hearing you on Kintsugi heroes in the not too distant future.

No, thanks. Sam. Look, it really has been a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much.

No, thanks. Sam. Look, it really has been a pleasure to meet you. Thank you so much.