Let's Fight Blindness: Join Warriors4Sight On Feb. 25

Let's Fight Blindness:  Join Warriors4Sight On Feb. 25

It's not easy having your world cave in around you, but that's what I've learned to deal with each day.  I found out I was afflicted with a hereditary eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) when I was on active duty in the US Navy. It is a degenerative retinal disease that causes tunnel vision and eventually blindness. All my life I have struggled with little or no night vision, having difficulty seeing people's hand gestures, recognizing where a person is and not seeing the night’s starry skies. 

At first I was depressed and I felt like giving up. But here I was a mom, wife to a disabled Veteran,and now a disabled Veteran myself. Although I felt sad, I knew I couldn’t quit. I decided I needed to be a good example for my family and would try to help them see that when life doesn’t go your way you change your perspective and you gain resiliency.

My vision loss gave me access to some excellent support programs to help cope with the never ending changes.  Just last year I became an "inpatient" at the VA's Southwestern Blind Rehab Center.  They helped me learn how to improve my mobility with my cane, they taught me how to use special lights and adjust my computer accordingly. And they taught me about new technology of reading books through a Victor Reader, speech aspects on the Iphone and much more.  The six week program was a great experience.  

Although learning new technology is important, in dealing with vision loss it's also important to help find ways to cure and prevent diseases like mine.  That's why I support the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Through their research funding I enrolled in a six year study that proved taking 15,000 IUs of Vitamin A in the palmitate form could help slow our disease. Although I have 10 degrees of vision in each eye and  I know it’s not the 90 degrees the majority of folks have, I remain thankful for my “Tunnel of Light”.
 

One of the ways I support FFB and their research efforts is through the Arizona VisionWalk  It's a family friendly three mile trek that takes us around the walking path at Steele Indian School Park on Feb. 25th at 9 a.m..  It's one of those rare times where you'll see hundreds of people with red and white canes and guide dogs helping us navigate the circle. 

You can join us as we continue to “fight on” for research, for cures, and for hope in saving our vision. You can do so by joining our team and becoming a Warrior 4 Sight, or you can make a contribution online.  

It takes all of us to win this battle and we hope you will join us in becoming Warriors4 Sight!
http://www.fightblindness.org/site/TR/VISIONWALK/VisionWalktr?team_id=68238&pg=team&fr_id=4902