Thank you for publishing the excellent piece by Annalisa D’Innella (How I see it, G2, 14 November). Like Annalisa, I have retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and last year decided to ask for mobility training to retain some independence. I benefited from the teaching of a superb and extremely patient rehabilitation officer, Pat, who was responsible for a boost to my confidence and morale.
I am fortunate: I have a very supportive husband and family, kind and understanding friends. I live in Leeds, where the city council strives to protect services, despite severe cuts in central government funding. Disability discrimination legislation, now subsumed in the Equality Act 2010, has given us an entitlement to equal treatment in many areas of public life. Despite this, my enquiry about the possible provision of a large-print copy of the lunch menu in a well-known restaurant was greeted with barely concealed amusement. I appreciate the kindness of strangers: the many people who stand aside for me, the supermarket checkout operators who scan our goods efficiently at the pace at which we pack, the patience of bus drivers.
I agree with Annalisa’s opinion that we need to work on awareness raising among the general public, such as the current RNIB campaign. Well-intentioned people are sometimes anxious to help without keeping to the golden rule of asking if help is required – taking hold of my arm in an attempt to guide me, whether or not I have shown any hesitation. On one occasion a man approached my husband and me when we stopped at the top of a flight of stairs so I could assess it, locate a handrail etc. He instructed me to “Give him the stick”, presumably regarding it as unnecessary clutter!
For 40 years the charity now known as RP Fighting Blindness has raised funds and commissioned research projects; ophthalmologists are involved in the search for treatment and hopefully eventually a cure will be found for RP. I am optimistic about the future!
Sheila Lawless
Leeds
