Rock + Blind-ish
If you were at a Boys and Girls Club fundraiser recently, you might have spotted a woman leap off the stage, drop into a full soccer‑slide, and shred an inflatable guitar like it was the main stage at Cowboys during Stampede.
My cousin nominated Tanya for a cover feature months ago because she’s the one who always knows what’s happening in Cochrane. So when we ended up at an 80s‑themed bingo night and Tanya suddenly stormed the stage for an air‑guitar battle with her friends, I knew I was about to capture something gloriously extra for this story.
What I didn’t know? Tanya is...
Which makes her stage-dive-meets-air-guitar moment even more rock-and-roll.
I didn't see you. With a hidden disability, I find it awkward to bring it up when I meet someone new, but I try because if someone places something beside me, I might knock it over.
“I would see an ophthalmologist every few years in my twenties to monitor things, since RP runs in the family. When I was 34, I pushed my optometrist to book a check‑up because I was long overdue.”
Did she pout? Yes.
Did she wallow? For a hot minute.
Did she eat an unreasonable number of coconut macadamia nuts?
“If I could find Coconut Macadamia Nuts locally, watch out!
But jokes aside, with something so life‑altering, I was shocked there wasn’t immediate support to connect me with CNIB or even a counselor.
It was very stressful and emotional. How do I get to work? Will I even have a job if I can’t drive? My husband works shift work, so who’s getting groceries? Who’s taking our son to dayhome and swimming lessons?”
“Officially giving up my license was an easy decision because I would never want to hurt anyone, however it was very difficult to accept for many years. I turned in my two wheels eight years ago as I was afraid I might not see something or someone.
That stung just as much as losing my car keys.
Back then, Cochrane didn’t have the COLT bus, which meant me, a five‑year‑old, a car seat, and no real way to get anywhere.”
Thirteen‑and‑a‑half years later, Tanya has shifted her mindset. Now it’s about maintaining independence, finding safe ways to stay active, and learning to do things differently.
“Participating and promoting the Fighting Blindness Canada's events over the last 13 years has helped me find a sense of community and hope for vision loss research.
I’m very grateful for all of the education they provide and amazed by the support of my friends and family to help me on this journey.
The first Alberta event was Cycle for Sight. My team of four very casual bike riders actually rode 50km! Due to the heavy rain storm this year's first Cochrane Move for Sight walk became an individual workout from home, but I’m sure we will be back next June for 2026.”
Someone once told Tanya she’s like Scrat, you know, the frantic squirrel from Ice Age who never gives up on his acorn. She laughed, because she got it.
“I have lots of energy and don't give up.
I need to be more organized if I want to go out. Book the bus a week ahead as it fills up quickly. Then stay flexible because the return bus might not line up, which means I’m finding somewhere indoors to wait if the weather’s bad.
If I’m walking I try to think about the best routes to take so I don't have to cross busy roads or time of day that has less traffic and people at the stores.
I need to be more organized if I want to go out. Book the bus a week ahead as it fills up quickly. Then stay flexible because the return bus might not line up, which means I’m finding somewhere indoors to wait if the weather’s bad.
If I’m walking I try to think about the best routes to take so I don't have to cross busy roads or time of day that has less traffic and people at the stores.
I had to change my mind set that spending money on a taxi is part of the regular household budget, as it's a necessity.
I am very grateful for my friends and community who ask if I need a ride or want to join them to do their errands. I still miss the ability to quickly get up and go whenever I want but am very glad that I can still remain independent with the transportation options available and look forward to these options improving as Cochrane grows.”
But where Scrat flails, Tanya floats. Literally. Paddleboarding on the Bow. Swimming in Ghost Lake. Floating down Jumping Pound Creek with the sun on her face, soundtrack courtesy of Great Big Sea’s “Ordinary Day.”
“Your cousin Melissa is always up for these last minute random adventures with no destination or tasks in mind.
Every year for my birthday I book the local day spa in Cochrane for a group booking of 12 ladies. This place is so perfect to recharge your batteries and connect. I miss the salt float that used to be in town.”
That’s Tanya’s kind of luxury: A full squad of queens in slippers, sipping eucalyptus steam like champagne. She’s the glue that holds family reunions together, the friend who shows up with baking, the volunteer at the Cochrane Humane Society, and a familiar face at the Jim Uffelmann off‑leash dog park.
“I’ve been coming here for walks with and without dogs for 15 years, plus the river to float and fish.
Seeing the sparkles from the sun reflecting off the water and listening to the trickle of the waves makes it a special place for me to find peace, joy and inspiration.
I love watching the swallows and hawks dive and can feel the true happiness from the dogs at play.”
“Aging in place is a concept that works to benefit people of all ages and abilities. A community allows one to be independent with quality of life, access to transportation, healthcare, and social activities. Emotional well-being for all should be a common goal we can all agree to strive for in our communities.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Tanya also keeps her finger firmly on the pulse of Cochrane’s future.
When she chose the lookout at the top of James Walker Trail in the community of Precedence, where the town stretches out below like a living map, she wasn’t just smiling for the camera, she was pointing out where communities such as Southbow Landing are being developed, explaining what’s planned for the next few years, and talking about how it will shape the community.
Her passions include research, education, and like so many Cochrane residents, stopping to soak in the views.
“We wanted to raise our family in a smaller community, and Cochrane had everything we were looking for. The natural landscapes, the mountain views, the river, those green rolling hills sold us.
Plus, it’s the perfect balance: all the amenities we need, with an easy commute to both Calgary and the mountains.
You can be anywhere in town and find a spot that makes you stop, breathe, and feel at peace.”
She walked in expecting an update and left with a whole new reality. She had technically been diagnosed with RP as a child, but this was the moment she realized her RP had advanced far more aggressively than she ever expected. The surprise was not in the name of the disease, but in the timing of the narrative fracture.
She went in expecting a mild update and walked out with what felt like a one‑way ticket to the passenger seat.
“Keep your face towards the sun and you’ll never see the shadows at your back,” is how Tanya captioned this photo. For her, the big sky, rolling hills and sunshine around Cochrane are an instant mood lift.
With her husband and son after a Cochrane Lions football game. Tanya hopes her family would describe her as open-minded, playful and positive, and it, that tracks. She’s the homemade-card maker, baked-treat bringer, reunion planner and sideline regular who keeps the whole family rhythm moving.
Helping others is something she learned at home. Her dad taught her the joy of giving without expecting anything back, and she carries that forward. "I volunteer at the Cochrane Humane Society when I need some animal love. Okay, the people are also very dedicated and great too!"
Tanya Marshall has supported Fighting Blindness Canada through Cycle for Sight and other awareness events. Riding, fundraising and sharing the cause has helped her find community and a sense that vision loss research is moving forward.
Looking out my office window, the big blue sky, the sunshine, those green rolling hills... instant mood lift.
first gene therapy for an inherited retinal disease approved in Canada
Sources:
Fighting Blindness CanadaRetina InternationalText: Chapter kickers
Text: Poster
Text: RP 101 intro
Text: Simulator
Text: Liner notes
Text: Track 1
Text: Track 2
Text: Track 3
Text: Track 4
Text: Track 5
Text: Captions
Text: River map
Text: Marquee
Photo: Air guitar outfit
Photo: Air guitar performance
A view across Cochrane’s rolling hills and river valley, photographed by Tanya Marshall.
STORY CLOSER. COMMUNITY CONTINUES.
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And thank you to Dr. Jason Hauck of IRIS Cochrane for helping make independent local storytelling possible.
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