Cherry Hinton Branch Sales Adviser Jackie Spiers is one of the team leaders organising activities for the month and wanted to help the sight loss charity in appreciation for the support provided to her daughter Katie.
Learning you are visually impaired is a daunting prospect, not least for a teenager, but thanks to Cam Sight Katie, 18, has been able to deal with her condition confidently and now volunteers for the charity.
Katie was just 13 when she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) which is a condition that has no cure and means she can’t see to the side, below or in dim light.
She says: “It was shocking to find out the diagnosis. I had support from my family then someone at school told me about Cam Sight and I was put in touch with them.”
Although Katie was at first hesitant about going to the teenage groups run by Cam Sight once she started going she found it useful to be around people of her own age who were going through the same thing.
She said: “At first I just thought I’d deal with it on my own but actually being able to talk about what was happening with people who understood was really helpful to come to terms with the situation. By going to Cam Sight I was admitting to myself that I did have a problem and accepting the situation. It was when I came to terms with my sight loss and I can’t thank the charity enough for all the support they have given me.
“Cam Sight has been so supportive and did cane training with me which means I feel confident going out on my own. I didn’t go out much in the early days of diagnosis because I didn’t feel comfortable going out by myself but the cane training has given me confidence which allows me to get out and about just like everyone else.”
Knowing how helpful it is to be around a supportive network of people who understand sight loss Katie decided to give something back to Cam Sight and now volunteers with the children’s’ groups. This involves supporting them with craft activities as well as answering questions parents might have.
It’s not just Katie that the charity supports but the whole family too which has proved vital for coming to terms with the diagnosis.
Jackie says: “As a family we can’t thank Cam Sight enough for all they’ve done. I’m hoping the activity we’ve planned for January at The Cambridge will really get everyone enthused about helping this amazing charity that provides a lifeline for families.”
To find out more about the work of Cam Sight which supports blind and partially sighted people throughout Cambridgeshire visit the website camsight.org.uk
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