I had a progressive disease called Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a type of retinal dystrophy and is a genetic condition. It affects the retina at the back of the eye and causes the retinal cells that process light to stop working over time, leading to vision loss. It typically first affects your peripheral vision (side vision) and makes it difficult to see in low light. I lost my sight fully in 2008 aged 43 and it changed my life forever.

I have used Guide Dogs sighted guide service for a few years, then Covid lockdown happened and this service was stopped and it was a miserable time for me.

When the service was reintroduced , I was matched with John and he has changed my life, I have more confidence, and I now look forward to going out to the gym, to coffee mornings and recently taking up walking after building my legs up in the gym.

I am doing this challenge to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity to support more people like me.

John will be guiding me up the Llanberis Path to summit Snowdon (highest point in Wales) on Sunday 25th June 2023, describing what he can see.

The second peak will be Scarfell Pike (Highest point in England) from Wasdale Head on Sunday 30th July.

The final peak will be Ben Nevis (Highest point in Scotland) up the tourist path on Sunday 24th September.

I know it is not going to be easy and I know it will hurt , but I trust John to keep me motivated and get me to the top and back down safely from each mountain.

Almost two million people in the UK are living with sight loss that has a significant impact on their daily lives. Of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone and lead lonely, isolated lives.

Guide Dogs works for a world where people with sight loss are never left out of life, for a world where being blind or partially sighted is not what defines you. A world with enough support to make the challenges of sight loss no barrier to fulfilling hopes and dreams.