RP Diagnosis Develops The WHY & Leads To Entrepreneurship

RP Diagnosis Develops the “Why” & Leads to Entrepreneurship

“I felt so ashamed and stupid that I was visually impaired. That somehow people would think it was an inconvenience or a hassle that I couldn’t see in the dark.”
~Hannah Steininger

RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa) was the diagnosis. I got into the car at the eye clinic and sat in silence with the devastating news I’d just received. It was a cold, blustery October day in 2008. I even remember how cloudy it was as the trees stood bare. We were parked directly in front of the window of the clinic. My eyes were fixed ahead on people sitting in the waiting room.

“Am I going to go blind?” I asked my mom after what felt like hours.

I felt my face get hot, as the tears welled up in my eyes. Dumbfounded, confused, and scared, I didn’t know what to think. You can never go back once you find out something like that. Immediately I felt so different. Everything started to make sense:

how cautious I was at night,
why I had always wanted to sleep with the hall light on,
why I hated movie theaters.

The list goes on and on. I was glad that it was all making sense, but at the same time, I wished I hadn’t found out.

Up until age 15, I thought everyone saw the way I did. Why think anything else? I felt so ashamed and stupid that I was visually impaired. That somehow people would think it was an inconvenience or a hassle that I couldn’t see in the dark.

For about 8 years I decided nothing was wrong with me. I ignored the diagnosis of RP and I refused to take my pills regularly or tell anyone about my vision.

College Changed Things

Once I got to college, I would get into risky situations. Scenarios, like going out and drinking with my friends or walking home in dark, were commonplace. I fell and injured myself too many times to count. Crying
because I couldn’t see on the dance floor like everyone else, I’d leave, alone and in the dark. Why couldn’t I be like everyone else dancing so lighthearted. Going out became so taxing and so painful that I isolated myself my senior year of college.

After I graduated college and moved back to Minneapolis something in me shifted. I was sick and tired of feeling sorry and bad for myself. So much hope I had placed in research and retina specialists. When they told me there was nothing I could do and that my vision was getting worse, I was crushed. I began looking up alternative ways to help heal vision loss. That’s when I found micro-acupuncture.

For the past two years, I have been taking a more holistic approach in the way I manage my RP. I began eating a diet of anti-inflammatory foods, educating myself about how the systems in the body work together, and started going to micro-acupuncture.

As I have been opening up to others about my vision and started to advocate for the modifications I need, I noticed a lack of awareness about vision loss and people who struggle with it. So many people are affected by loss of vision at some point in their lives, why is it not more well-known and talked about in society?

The “Why” Turns Into Entrepreneurship

One year ago, I quit my corporate job and decided to pursue my passion. On February 16th, 2019, I launched Watson & Wilma, a line of ethically made intimates. I designed each piece and enlisted the help of local pattern makers to bring it to life. Each item is made-to-order and sewn in Minneapolis from 70% sustainable and organic fabrics.

Bamboo Bra
Models

Vision loss is an invisible disability but a major part of everyday, as intimates are a similarly hidden but important part of every outfit. A portion of each sale will be donated to the Penny George Foundation, to help provide holistic care and treatments to those with vision loss. My mission is to spread awareness about vision loss and for the visually impaired community.

As expected, there are still hard days and days that I become discouraged about my vision, but my “why” keeps me going. I am doing my best to turn my pain into empowerment and allowing it to navigate my path instead of fear.

RP Diagnosis Develops the “Why” Featured Image Description:

A scenic outdoor shot of Hannah smiling while standing outside with a mountain range in the background. She is dressed casually in jeans, striped top, with hiking boots and a long warm-looking sweater. Hannah also has a black knitted hat on her head and her long brunette hair is draped over her outfit.

Additional Images:

Bamboo Bra: A black bra called Pick Me Up Around 8
Models: Two women (one brunette, one blonde) are wearing all of the pieces in Hannah’s current collection. The photo shows them hanging out in a living room. One of the models is sitting on a sofa while the other one is kneeling on the floor looking through music albums.

RP Diagnosis Develops the WHY & Leads to Entrepreneurship