A Dumfries woman who lost her sight nine years ago is celebrating a charity’s cash boost of nearly £100,000 for the next three years to help others.
Morag Faichney, 49, turned to the Macular Society for help, joining one of their support groups which operates in Dumfries monthly – where she now volunteers.
The money, awarded by the National Lottery Community Fund and made possible by National Lottery players, is earmarked to support the Macular Society’s work- including what is on offer for Dumfries and Galloway.
The national charity supports people with macular disease – the most common form of sight loss in the UK – with services from counselling and befriending, to funding ground-breaking research.
And Morag, who suffered a detached retina in 2016, is delighted that the funding – totalling £97,143 through to 2028 – will help others, as it’s earmarked to support the sight loss charity’s work from monthly local support groups, including Dumfries, to information events held across the country.
Morag said: “It’s really good to have that peer support from a group.
“There are people who have had vision problems longer than I have, but the support it offers me and others is fantastic because there’s advice to be shared.
“Everyone can help each other because we’re in the same boat.
“Since I joined, being with the support group has given me more confidence.
“The good thing is we all seem to have kept our sense of humour, which I think in dark situations you need to have.”
The Dumfries group is the only one in the immediate region, meeting every fourth Wednesday of the month, 11am at St George’s Hall, George Street.
Anyone interested in joining or becoming a volunteer can contact Macular Society regional manager Aoife Mooney on 07586 168803.
Macular Society senior regional manager for Scotland, Laura Gray, said: “Our huge thanks go to National Lottery Community Fund for their continued support of both our vital services and the people, like Morag, who rely on them.
“This latest grant helps to ensure we can continue to offer vital peer support, advice and information to the thousands of people affected by macular disease in Scotland.
“Life can be challenging for people with a sight loss condition, so funding like this really helps us to provide them with the kind of support which we know can make such a difference.”
Nearly 1.5 million people are living with macular disease and many more are at risk.
The disease can have a devastating effect on people’s lives – leaving them unable to drive, read or see faces.
Many people affected describe losing their sight as being similar to bereavement.
There is still no cure and most types of the disease are not treatable.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of macular disease, affecting more than 54,000 people in Scotland and 700,000 across the UK.
The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland chairperson, Kate Still, said: “Every day National Lottery funding is changing the lives of thousands of people in communities across Scotland.
“This project, delivered by The Macular Disease Society is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”