On December 3, football legend Ronnie Whelan officially launched the new AMD Guide, which was developed by Fighting Blindness with the support of Bayer.
Ronnie was joined by special guest speakers Prof. David Keegan, UCD Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology & Retina, Prof. Matthew Campbell, an AMD researcher at Trinity College Dublin, and Ms. Itziar Canamasas, Managing Director of Bayer Ireland.
Ronnie Whelan commented: “AMD is the leading cause of sight loss in people aged over 50, which is why it is important to provide accurate and clear information, especially for the people who might be just recently diagnosed. I am delighted to lend my support to this project and raise awareness of this condition and this new resource available.”
Guests at the event were particularly moved by powerful personal stories of life with AMD from Pat O’Donoghue and John Leonard, who are both members of the MIST (Macular Impairment Support and Togetherness) support group. Mr. Leonard spoke of how he was able to read without the aid of reading glasses up until seven years ago, but he has had to adjust since receiving a diagnosis of AMD: “I don’t attend football matches anymore and cannot watch television for long periods – I must stand close to the screen and it tires my eyes. I listen to the radio quite a lot. So, my life has changed.”
Copies of the Guide, which was developed with the support of Bayer, are available by contacting Fighting Blindness by telephone at 01 678 9004 or by email at info@fightingblindness.ie.
Huge thanks to the Bayer, and also to Pharmed for their support of this project.