In January this year I received the sad news that Trinity, my third Guide Dog, had to retire early, due to a bad back. This was devastating news as my independence was taken away, A simple task of going to get a pint of milk was now impossible. 

I went through an assessment to be placed on the list for another Guide dog, unfortunately this can be a slow process, made worse by the pandemic. While I wait for a dog I have been receiving long cane training, provided by Guide dogs, so at least I can now make it to the supermarket independently.

This has been a very difficult time for me, at times my mood has been very low. So what better way to keep me positive and motivated, all while raising some much needed funds foe Guide  Dogs, than to train  and then run a half marathon? This has been made extra special as it’s the first time my daughter, Michelle, will be guiding me. 

In the UK today, almost two million people are living with sight loss and of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone. Many suffer from depression and struggle with feelings of isolation.Guide Dogs is here to help solve this problem. We provide individual support that overcomes the emotional and physical challenges faced by people living with sight loss.We work for a world where people with sight loss are never left out of life. We work for a world where blind people no longer feel invisible, where the quality of their eye sight is genuinely the only difference between them and the rest of society.A world with enough support to make the challenges of sight loss no barrier to fulfilling your needs and dreams. A world where being blind or partially sighted isn't what defines you.