Eye Health Week 2018 Blogs – Day 3
As part of national eye health week Beacon is publishing blogs all week about eye health and what it means to different people. Today’s blog is by Ram Sandhu who recently took part in the Beacon Blindfold walk in honour of his late granddad who lived with his sight loss for 37 years.
On Saturday 7 July 2018, I attended the Beacon Blindfold Walk event. I went with my dad for my granddad who was blind for 37 years. I also attended to be my dad’s guide partner and thought I should try it out because I had never done this kind of thing in the past and it may even be fun.
We got our blindfolds and we were told to get into our pairs and line up. I was blindfolded and had no idea of my surroundings. My dad guided me through the roads nearby and thought about safety first. At first, I felt really scared because I couldn’t see my surroundings but after a while it was a walk in the park. I only felt nervous because the event was nothing like I had imagined and thought your partner would guide you. Being close to the roads blindfolded made me feel a bit more nervous but I knew I was safe.
After what seemed like forever, we reached the end of the trail. When we were both ready, we swapped positions and continued. I was more confident with this bit and as well as guiding my dad. I was also seeing the path he had guided me along and was shocked as to how I had overcome so much. Having the staff around helped and was also very useful.
My grandfather came over from India in 1956 and worked as a press-shop labourer at a local company in Willenhall, Wolverhampton – he could not read or write. When I was younger, Beacon was instrumental in my late grandfather’s life. They would pick him up and drop him off on regular basis to centre. You could see instantly how uplifted he was when he would return home from each visit and he would tell me about it. It was a big part of his life – and more importantly it made him happy.
The Beacon Blindfold Walk was my way of giving something back. It also gave me an insight into what the organisation does and understand what it means to live without my sight. To have no eyesight, and to maybe depend on others, is a hard thing to comprehend but Beacon has reminded me to not take my sight for granted.
To everyone who volunteers and works at Beacon, me and my family hold you and your organisation in high regard and appreciate all the hard work you do – the effort and dedication you do each day makes a huge difference to the people you support and their families.
The Beacon Centre did a lot for my grandfather up to his death. He made the best of life with whatever ability and in any situation. Without Beacon, his life would have been very different. Thank you.