'Volunteering changed my life'

Since becoming a volunteer for the Society, learning more about macular disease, educating others and helping those affected has become Barbara Hogg’s passion.

The 93 year old, who has trained as a speaker, a Skills for seeing trainer and a telephone befriender, lost the central vision in her left eye in 1993. But her vision loss did
not truly affect her until she developed wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in her right eye 13 years later.

She admits feeling very isolated “I felt quite suicidal and I’m not ashamed to say that”, she said. 

Shortly after her diagnosis, Barbara was inspired to start volunteering after hearing an interview with Terry Pratchett about his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

She said: “Terry said we have two choices when you are diagnosed with something you know is going to get progressively worse. You can either sit back and let it happen or you turn it around and do something constructive. So, I turned it around.”

Read more about Barabara's story and the volunteering roles available in our winter Sideview magazine