Ride into the Light

I suffer from Retinitis Pigmentosa.  This is a genetic mutation that kills the  light sensitive cells in the retina leading to a progressive narrowing of my field of vision and an inability to see anything in low light or low contrast environments. Eventually, my sight will disappear.

There was no noticeable impact until I was 18 but tripping over rocks and kerbs that no one else fell over meant I had a name for my clumsiness at the age of 23. 

As a result, I stopped driving at the age of 34 and since then have relied on my bicycle for independence and errands - not popular with the kids when it is my turn to make the football run!

Now I ride road bikes (too many "invisible" stumps and rocks for mountain biking) with a group of friends and really want this iconic ride under my belt.  A tough challenge but the stories of team work, camaraderie and the beautiful scenery really whet the appetite...and my wife, Kerry, did it last year.

I will record some of the training highlights over the year on Facebook, do visit:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009098267719

RP Fighting Blindness works hard to stimulate and fund cutting edge research to find a treatment or cure and support those affected.  

There is currently no cure for RP and there are no proven treatments that slow or stop the condition from gradually worsening over time.  There is a real optimism and past and ongoing clinical trials indicate that treatments may start to become available during the next decade.  Multiple different avenues are being investigated that will hopefully result in new therapies for RP and other related conditions. the various treatment strategies being investigated include gene therapy, stem cell therapy, transplantation and artificial vision.  http://www.rpfightingblindness.org.uk/