First Paddle Fest at Lake of Egypt a Success!
“Borth is an Air Force veteran. She was stationed in California, doing structural maintenance on B-52 and KC-135 aircraft, during the Persian Gulf War.
As a young woman, she began to experience lapses in her vision that puzzled her. She became unable to see traffic lights and other little things, she said.
Years later, as her vision deteriorated, she was diagnosed with early onset macular degeneration, a rare condition in which the eye loses light-sensing nerve tissue.
Today she still has some peripheral vision, but her sight is extremely limited.
Yet, she remains an active athlete just as she was in high school, partly thanks to Team River Runner, a national nonprofit that helps veterans and their families enjoy adaptive water sports.
“It feels really good to be with other vets,” Borth said. “We understand each other a little bit. Understand the challenges.” “
