by Wendy Mansfield
The April meeting was originally billed as a talk by the RNIB but in fact turned out to be an interesting introduction to CAMSIGHT. Sally Nott spoke passionately about an organisation that many of us were unaware of.
CAMSIGHT is a charity which works with and supports visually impaired people in Cambridgeshire. Sally’s introductory remarks made the point that we tend to take our sight for granted until something goes wrong and that this could happen at any age. This point was reinforced by the stories of three different people who had been helped by the organisation.
Firstly there was a young boy Warren who was still at school studying for A levels. He noticed his eyesight beginning to deteriorate and was eventually diagnosed with a genetic illness which meant he eventually lost his sight completely. One can only imagine the devastating effect this would have on a young person. He worked with CAMSIGHT to retrain using all the modern technology available and works for CAMSIGHT helping and supporting others.
The second example was Mick, a businessman in his sixties, who ran a successful business driving lorries all over Europe. He literally woke up one morning and was totally blind. This meant the end of the job he loved and the loss of his business. Through CAMSIGHT he learnt to cope using IT and after much persuasion took on a guide dog.
The final example was of a young mother who gradually lost most of her sight through a succession on brain haemorrhages. She was helped to cope with practical and emotional support.
CAMSIGHT supports anyone and everyone, from babies and toddlers through to teens and young adults to people in their old age.
Parents and families also need support as do schools so that they can offer help to visually impaired pupils. For older clients loss of sight is often a result of disease such as diabetes or macular degeneration. Peer groups are set up all over Cambridgeshire where people can meet up, often run by volunteers. The organisation relies heavily on legacies and donations to run its services, needing £450,000 per year to cover costs.
We all agreed that Sally spoke passionately and convincingly about the work done by CAMSIGHT and the difference they make to people who have suffered a devastating impairment.