Finding joy after a diagnosis

Losing their sight changed Dawn and Chris’ lives, but it didn’t stop them from finding enjoyment in the every day. 

In the latest My Macular and Me podcast, they share how new hobbies, support from others, and a positive mindset helped them find joy after their diagnoses.

Focus on the here and now 

For Dawn, staying positive and reaching out for help made all the difference when she was diagnosed with Stargardt. “Nobody knows how long it will take for your eyesight to change, and nobody could tell me what the journey was going to be,” she says.

In the face of uncertainty Dawn contacted the Society for support. “I reached out to your Society, and I got offered a buddy system and I got in contact with a lovely gentleman,” she adds. 

“Just to reach out to people, really, really helped me.”

But Dawn highlights in the episode how it was yoga that helped her overcome a lot of the challenges sight loss presented, helping her manage stress and maintain a sense of control. She says: “When you're having a bad day or you're being drawn away, or you're thinking about what the future is going to hold, bring it back to the here and now and just focus on your breath and focus on each step.”

Reach out for help

Chris, who has cone dystrophy – a rare macular condition, found solace in nature and talking about his experiences.

He says: “It did start to make me feel down quite a lot. I was feeling very much isolated. I had a few sessions from the Macular Society's Counselling Service and that was really positive because that just helped me to start to put those strategies in place for myself to start to figure out how I can get myself back out of it.”

In the podcast Chris explores how walking became a powerful way for him to cope: “That was a way of just being able to get out of my own head and just out into the wildlife while I could," he says. "And there was that big thought of, well, this is my main means of transport now, so I might as well get used to it.”

Advice for others 

The pair also share their advice for others facing a diagnosis or living with macular disease.

Dawn reminds us of the importance of living in the moment. “For anybody, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow," she says. "Enjoy today, enjoy your family today, enjoy your friends today, enjoy nature today, and don't be afraid to ask for help.”

For Chris, he highlights the importance of remembering the wealth of support available: “You're not alone,” he says. "There are so many other people in similar situations, so many people who are losing their sight.

“There's some really good communities, lots of support, whether that's locally or nationally or online, and it's all there to help.”

Tune in 

Listen to Dawn and Chris share their experiences with sight loss, the challenges they’ve faced, and the ways they’ve adapted in the latest episode of the My Macular and Me podcast. Tune in to discover how they found joy after their diagnoses - and how you can, too.

You can listen to the latest episode on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, or wherever you get your podcasts.