Havah Fleisner – A Vision of Hope and Advocacy

Seventeen-year-old Havah Fleisner, a senior at St. Mary Springs Academy, has already made an extraordinary impact far beyond the walls of her school. At just nine years old, Havah was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Macular Degeneration, a rare genetic eye disease that causes progressive vision loss. Alongside her younger brother and sister, who share the same diagnosis, Havah faced a reality much different from her peers. After two years of unanswered questions and multiple failed eye exams, she finally received the news that she was legally blind and would never drive. Instead of letting that define her, Havah turned her story into her mission—to raise awareness, educate others, and advocate for those living with vision loss.

Just two days after her 16th birthday, in San Antonio, Texas, Havah earned the national title of The United States of America’s Teen 2024, using her platform to share her journey and inspire others to see beyond challenges. She is also soon to be a published author with her upcoming children’s book, “The Letter E,” which tells her personal story of courage, faith, and perseverance during her early years of vision loss.

Havah’s advocacy continues to grow. Recently, she served as a keynote speaker in Boston and is a proud member of the ASPECT Advocacy Group through Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. In June, she will travel to Washington, D.C., to lobby for federal legislation requiring vision screenings during children’s wellness visits. Locally, she’ll be speaking at the Lions Club Convention this month. Havah is organizing collection sites across Wisconsin for the Lions “Recycle for Sight” program, which gathers used prescription glasses for those in need.

While in Boston, Havah also attended the Foundation Fighting Blindness VisionWalk and spoke at a research lab that is studying Stargardt’s disease, the very condition she and her siblings share. She has also volunteered and mentored children through Vision Forward’s Rainbow Camp, inspiring younger kids who are blind or visually impaired to embrace their own strengths. Through her voice, leadership, and unwavering faith, Havah continues to prove that true vision is not what you see—it’s how you use your story to light the way for others.

To follow Havah’s journey, visit her Facebook page Through Her Eyes Campaign or her website at www.throughhereyescampaign.com.