Hi everyone! 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I want to share something with you all that most people DON'T know - I've been fighting for my sight for a long time.  

You see, I have a progressive eye condition called Keratoconus that thins the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) causing it to become cone-shaped over time, instead of having a rounder curve. This causes severe blurred and distorted vision - kinda' like looking through a window when it's pouring rain - and in the advanced stages (where I am) it's not correctable with spectacles.

I started having itchy, sore eyes and eye infections when I was 9. Later, I got severe headaches. The local optometrist just said I was nearsighted, mailed me some horrid glasses and sent me on my way. I never wore my glasses, the itchy eyes continued and my vision deteriorated so slowly I didn't even realize what normal vision was.

Suddenly, in 1998 everything felt like it dropped away. I couldn't see any definition - just blurs of colour and numerous warped images. When I was diagnosed with the condition, the optometrist looked at me and said, "Please tell me you didn't drive here?!"

I was shocked with my diagnosis because I didn’t really know what KC was and though I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, I decided to try to deal with it gracefully.

In 2001, I was finally fitted with contact lens - I wore 2 in each eye and even then my vision was not fully corrected. Wearing them became increasingly painful. I visited the doctors numerous times a year and pretended I was normal, but I endured horrendous pain to be productive.

Last September, my eyes started to reject my lenses. I was devastated! I went from being able to wear them 14 hrs/day to not being able to tolerate them at all. My spectacles gave me a slight improvement - WITH THEM my vision is 6/60 (20/200) which leaves me partially sighted. 

Basically, with spectacles I see only the big "E" on the eye chart, which is also blurred into multiple images. I can't recognise faces, read, write, or watch TV like I did before. Sometimes, I use a symbol cane to help drivers be wary of my condition. Fortunately, I have special equipment and software to help me do these things. And six amazing kids, who help me up when I fall and hold my hand when I need it.

Unless they find a lens my eyes will tolerate, a cornea transplant will be my only option.

So...now you know.

Organisations like Focus Birmingham provide vital services and equipment that truly have a life-altering impact for people with sight loss. The equipment they provide help children study and help adults to work, communicate and live independently. It's a place where you can talk to someone who truly understands the isolation, anxiety and fear that people with sight loss experience. I want to help Focus Birmingham continue to help others. Together, we can make a difference. 

So, join me and the kids as we take on Snowdon!

By the way...donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.