Meet Sue, she lives in Kurow with her husband. She has two daughters, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandson, mostly in Dunedin. Family is everything to Sue, and she visits them whenever she can.
At 22, Sue was diagnosed with Stargardt disease. Her vision started to decline after her first child was born, and eventually, she lost all her central vision. This left her only able to see peripherally, which made her feel isolated, believing she was the only one facing this.
Sue was referred to Blind Low Vision NZ when her daughter was just six months old. The support she received, alongside her family, helped her stay positive. As Sue says, “There are worse things out there. I’m not going to let my eyesight control me.” The staff at Blind Low Vision NZ connected her with recreational activities like handcrafts and blind cricket. With the help of Blind Low Vision NZ’s Adaptive Communications & Adaptive Technology Services, Sue learned how to make small adaptations to her day-to-day life, like using the VoiceOver feature on her iPhone.
Sue vividly remembers the moment she received her first guide dog. For the first time since losing her vision, she felt her independence return: “I finally walk on my own.”
Reflecting on her journey, Sue shares, “Life would have been grim without Blind Low Vision NZ. I might have ended up in a home, with no idea how to manage. But Blind Low Vision NZ has given me the support to stay independent.”
Sue’s determination has seen her achieve so much. She earned a certificate in Support Disabilities and proudly walked the stage with her guide dog when she graduated at 46. While she uses Blind Low Vision NZ’s services when needed, Sue always tries to figure things out on her own first.
Sue’s philosophy is simple: keep going, no matter what. She believes that without Blind Low Vision NZ, her life would have been much harder. But now she is living life on her own terms and maintaining her independence.
If you feel you or someone you know could benefit from Blind Low Vision NZ’s services, please call us on 0800 24 33 33 or use the Make an Enquiry form on our Contact Us page.
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