Attached are the minutes from our first meeting of the semester! We had the chance to hear from Jen Walker, and her experience with being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. She now runs the Columbus chapter of Foundation Fighting Blindness, which you can learn more about here.
“Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Couldn’t see well at night and tripped a lot
- Aged 14 diagnosed
- Started noticing more symptoms after birth of daughter at age 26
- Lost periphery
- Started using a cane “turned in license and got the cane the same day”
Foundation Fighting Blindness
- For inherited retinal diseases
- Runs Cbus chapter
- Funds lots of clinical trials
- 41 chapters
- Dining in the dark
- Host dinner where people wear blindfolds and eat dinner
- Vision walk
- Have guide puppies at all events
- Database of people with retinal diseases
- Fund lots of grants
- Legislation
Enjoyed going to the optometrist the most vs. retinal specialist (for example) because she was able to form a relationship with the optometrist and it felt like talking to a real person.”