Real life success story

Sandra’s story

“When I was diagnosed with permanent sight loss, my life turned upside down in an instant. As an intensive care nurse, I was used to being the one who helped patients and their families during a crisis. Now it was me who was desperate for help. I was told I had severe diabetic retinopathy and was likely to go completely blind. “I can still remember my consultant's words, ‘You'll be lucky to be able to dress yourself.’ With those cold indifferent words still ringing in my ears, my mind was in turmoil. How would I live? How would I work? How would I cope without my sight? I expected there to be help for me, but there was nothing.

“After my diagnosis I was reduced from a confident, independent young woman to someone too frightened to open the front door.” Sandra. Thank goodness a friend put me in touch with Action. “I can't describe the difference it made knowing that I was not alone. Losing your sight is a blow that shatters your life into tiny pieces - you feel like you’ll never be able to rebuild it. Doctors do what they can, but it comes to a point when there's nothing more that can be done medically. That’s when you need someone who understands and knows what to do - Action provides this essential lifeline.”