10th and final SeeShore Fest set Aug. 23

SeeShore Fest, an annual Dewey Beach event to raise money for vision loss research, prevention and treatment, will take place for the 10th and final year from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23, at The Starboard.

“It’s very bittersweet for us, but I think a lot of people are excited to come out and celebrate the last decade, and where we started and where we are now,” said Heather Napolitano, who started the event with her family in 2015, about two years after she began losing her vision.

“ When I first started losing my vision, we felt so alone,” she said of her and her husband, Dom. “We were just scared.” 

In 2014, she was diagnosed with autoimmune retinopathy, a rare condition where the body’s immune system attacks the retinas.

She and Dom didn’t know anyone else with the condition, which she said was very isolating.

Through SeeShore Fest, she’s been able to connect with people around the country who share similar experiences.

“ We never realized there are so many different levels of blindness,” she said.

She compared it to a gray scale or a spectrum; she can see better in the dark, whereas other people see better in the light. Vision loss is different for different people. 

Heather relies heavily on her peripheral vision, as she has very little central vision. She compared what she sees to an abstract painting.

She can see when people are walking toward her, but she may not be able to tell who it is until they get closer or she hears their voice. She can generally only see details when she’s up close to something or when she uses strong magnifying glasses.

There is currently no cure for her condition, but she gets injections to help slow its progression. She also has several devices to aid her vision, including one called a Sightscope, which attaches to her sunglasses and magnifies details.

At her son Dax’s lacrosse games, she uses the Sightscope to be able to see him playing. Without the device, she wouldn’t be able to catch any of the action.

“The first time it happened, I literally bawled on the sideline,” she said.

Over the past nine years, SeeShore Fest has raised more than $166,000.

All of the proceeds go to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which is a leading private funding source for vision loss research, prevention and treatment, and the Eye Institute in Philadelphia, which provides care for Heather and others with visual impairments.

This year, the goal is to break $200,000.

At the event will be four punch boards full of fun prizes, a silent auction, a raffle, kids’ games and more. 

She said she’s very thankful to the community for being so accepting and welcoming, The Starboard staff for helping to make the event happen, and all of the community donors, many of whom have been donating auction items since the first year of the event.

All are welcome, and tickets are not required for the event.

For more information, go to the SeeShore Fest Facebook page.