Spring 2024

Carmela Cantisani (with guide dog Seymour) recounts the story of her life as a blind woman in a new book, “I Can See The Moon, But Not The Stars.” C armela Cantisani was diagnosed with a genetic eye disorder that restricts the person´s field oJ Zision retinitis piKQentosa 64 as a younK child 8hat liQitation was the inspiration Jor 'antisani´s QeQoir ±- 'an 7ee 8he Moon But 2ot 8he 7tars ² -t´s the Jasci - natinK story aFout a reQarkaFle woQan who reJused to let her Zision iQpairQent iQpede her achieZeQents ±7ince - was in Qy s -´Ze Feen told Fy Jriends that - should write a Fook aFout Qy liJe ² she says %t the tiQe she was a coQ - petitiZe alpine skier coQpetinK in the ;inter ;orld 'haQpionships Jor the (isaFled where she took hoQe Kold Jor her adopted country the 9nited 7tates 'antisani was Forn on a rustic JarQ in southern -taly 8wo oJ her siFlinKs also inher - ited 64 and her parents Qade the diJficult decision to QoZe to a city where the children could attend a school Jor the Flind ±8hat´s where - Kot a Kreat education 8eachers´ e\pectations were e\treQely hiKh %ll were Flind and they tolerated no nonsense ² 8hat early discipline has serZed 'antisani well leadinK to her career as an -talian instructor at Monterey´s (eJense 0anKuaKe -nstitute aQonK other accoQplishQents “I Can See The Moon, But Not The Stars” is available on Amazon. Book 'hronicles Blind 'arQel ;oQan´s 6eQarkaFle 0iJe B = M - ',% ) 0 ',%8 * - ) 0( SHORT '987 LIT 72 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 4 Photo: Kelli Uldall