Remembering someone special

“Dad had age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in one eye. When he was diagnosed he was told, “don’t worry, you won’t go blind with macular.” In other words, you won’t lose all your vision, just the centre part, not the peripheral. But losing your central vision is so life-altering, it becomes so much harder just to do things like watch TV, recognise faces, read numbers on the front of a bus. Things that are important in life.

My dad was completely shell-shocked. They told him so bluntly. A lot of people have the same tale, they’re told there is no cure and they leave with no help, maybe a few leaflets.

I’ve never had the experience myself but I’ve always feared I might do, because I know there’s a genetic element. But I’m optimistic that we will sort it out. A lot of people are very negative, they think they won’t ever see a cure happen. I try to be hopeful. We don’t know how long it is going to be, but it could be next week! I know it’s a long-winded process, but a cure is getting closer and closer. It’s on the horizon, we’re starting to see it approaching in the distance.

I am leaving a gift in my Will to the Macular Society in memory of my dad, to help fund research to bring that cure on the horizon ever closer!”