Mum lost sight and job during lockdown
A West Lothian mum who struggled to come to terms with losing her sight and had nobody to turn to during lockdown has praised the vital work of a charity that helped her.
Amanda Whitfield was diagnosed with Stargardt disease in 2016 at the age of just 26.
Amanda, from Whitburn, reached out to Sight Scotland in 2020 when her condition started to get worse.
She had been working for the prison service before she was forced to give it up, was going through a very difficult time emotionally and had a real lack of confidence.
Not only was she losing her sight and forced to give up working, but she had a seven-month baby girl, had no home, and the world was in lockdown due to Covid-19.
Amanda will now be speaking at the Scottish Vision Strategy Conference which s taking place this week in Edinburgh, where over 140 eye-health professionals will meet to discuss the main challenges and successes in eye health care across Scotland.
She will tell delagates that community support was crucial for her as she battled to come to terms with her eye condition.
She said: “When I contacted Sight Scotland in 2020 I was feeling really low and didn’t really know where to turn.
“I didn’t have a home, so I was living in a hotel, I had a seven-month old baby, no job, and I was losing my eyesight. If you told me then, I would be presenting at a conference in front of 150 people I simply would not have believed you.
“Getting a sight loss diagnosis at such a young age was a shock. I have a blockage in both eyes for my frontal vision, so everything’s quite disorientated around about me. I can’t read much anymore, and I have to use magnifiers or take pictures with my phone. I also can’t see well distance wise, it was such a huge change for me.
“Reaching out to the Sight Scotland has been one of the best things I could have done. Debbie has helped me with so much, she supported me in finding housing, helped me with equipment and tech options, but almost more importantly she helped me understand my condition and that life doesn’t end with a diagnosis of sight loss. Debbie’s helped and supported me more than she knows and continues to stay in touch today.”
Sight Scotland community worker Debbie McGregor, who is also presenting at the conference, adds: “When I first met Amanda she was going through a tough time, and her confidence and self-esteem were low. I am just so happy that she reached out and asked for help. The journey Amanda has been on since then is incredible. I am just so proud of her, she is a fantastic mum, she is supporting others with sight loss as part of the Sight Scotland Policy Group, and is planning to go back to work when her daughter gets a bit older.”
Debbie adds: “We know sight loss can be scary, it can be isolating, and it can leave people feeling very low and upset. It is our job to show people what is still possible and to help them to start living their life again one step at a time.”
The Scottish Vision Strategy Conference has been organised by leading sight loss charities RNIB Scotland and Sight Scotland. If you or someone you know is experiencing sight loss call Sight Scotland today on 0800 024 8973. For more information, please visit www.sightscotland.org.uk