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Joan's story
My experience of macular disease began with my mother. She was born in 1899 and was in her seventies when she began having vision problems. One day she woke up blind in one eye, and maybe a few days or weeks later, she woke up blind in the other. It was pretty sudden.
At the time – it was the 1970s – nobody said it was macular disease because I don’t think they knew for certain. But it was. And of course there wasn’t any treatment in those days.
In 1985 my mother was knocked down and killed while she was crossing the road. She was a few days shy of her 86th birthday.
I was diagnosed with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) about 15 years ago, and it became wet four years ago. I’m a retired nurse and health visitor, so I just accepted it when I was diagnosed. My mother had it, and now so did I. I didn’t like it, but that’s how it was.
And, unlike my mother, there’s a treatment for me. I’ve been having injections since my AMD turned wet – they aren’t pleasant, but I’m so very grateful. People say, “how terrible to have injections in your eyes”, but the alternative is far more terrible.
It’s important to me that when I’m gone, my money will do something positive. Giving is essential, and it makes a difference.
My biggest concern was that I’d have to stop driving, and would lose my independence. I’m not close to shops, and the bus service is very limited.
With my arthritis and damage to my spinal cord from an epidural, I can’t walk far. My neighbours are in their eighties and nineties, and there aren’t any young people around to help me. I have to cope by myself. It’s hard getting around, even thinking I’ll just nip upstairs – you can’t ‘just nip’ anywhere!
I’m a widow, on my own, with no children. My husband died 21 years ago. After that I had a close friend, and we supported each other in all ways. He died last year, so I needed to update my Will.
That was when I decided that 10% of my estate would go to the Macular Society.
As a health visitor, one’s work was really to do preventative medicine. This is why I’m so interested in the research. Preventing the onset of macular disease, or at least catching it earlier to save people’s sight. The Macular Society’s research will hopefully help with prevention, and eventually lead to a cure.
That’s why I’m leaving a gift in my Will, to fund future research.
I believe that my mother wouldn’t have been knocked down and killed if she hadn’t had macular disease. My gift could help people in the future with this condition, especially younger people who could continue working and taking care of their families.
It’s important to me that when I’m gone, my money will do something positive. Giving is essential, and it makes a difference.
Will you leave a sight-saving legacy like Joan?
By leaving a gift in your Will, you’ll be ensuring that there will always be support for people like Joan. Crucially, you’ll be funding groundbreaking research into the future until there is a cure for macular disease. For every person diagnosed.