Miss-Delectable
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Mum's marathon as deaf daughter loses sight | This is Gloucestershire
MUM Amanda Lowery, whose deaf daughter is now losing her sight, is throwing her energies into fundraising for a charity that researches the condition.
The adult arts manager at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College said the family was shocked when they found out her 16-year-old daughter Ellen had the debilitating Ushers Syndrome.
"Ellen was born deaf," said Mrs Lowery, 44.
"But, through her determination and with some support, she has managed to cope well at mainstream school.
"Just as she was gearing up for her GCSEs we found out she was losing her sight as well, which was obviously a tremendous shock to all of us, not least Ellen."
Mrs Lowery, who lives in Horsley, is now focusing on giving Rednock School pupil Ellen all the support she can.
She has also taken up running and plans to do the Virgin London Marathon on April 22 to raise funds for SENSE, the charity which supports blind-deaf people and their families.
"I hope to raise as much money as possible for SENSE so that Ellen and others like her will benefit from the ongoing research, advice and support that his important charity provides," she said.
Ellen's grandmother Judith Jackson, who lives in Haresfield, said Ellen was diagnosed with Usher's Syndrome Type Two in December.
Mrs Jackson said the syndrome included retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease which led to deterioration of vision and sometimes to total blindness.
She said: "Sufferers can experience tunnel vision, which compares with looking through a pipe or tube, central vision loss, poor or no night vision and difficulty with glare.
"Someone once described retinitis pigmentosa as being able to see a pencil on the other side of the room but being able to trip over an elephant on the way to pick it up."
To support Mrs Lowery's marathon for her daughter and SENSE visit www.justgiving. com/Amanda-Lowery.
MUM Amanda Lowery, whose deaf daughter is now losing her sight, is throwing her energies into fundraising for a charity that researches the condition.
The adult arts manager at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College said the family was shocked when they found out her 16-year-old daughter Ellen had the debilitating Ushers Syndrome.
"Ellen was born deaf," said Mrs Lowery, 44.
"But, through her determination and with some support, she has managed to cope well at mainstream school.
"Just as she was gearing up for her GCSEs we found out she was losing her sight as well, which was obviously a tremendous shock to all of us, not least Ellen."
Mrs Lowery, who lives in Horsley, is now focusing on giving Rednock School pupil Ellen all the support she can.
She has also taken up running and plans to do the Virgin London Marathon on April 22 to raise funds for SENSE, the charity which supports blind-deaf people and their families.
"I hope to raise as much money as possible for SENSE so that Ellen and others like her will benefit from the ongoing research, advice and support that his important charity provides," she said.
Ellen's grandmother Judith Jackson, who lives in Haresfield, said Ellen was diagnosed with Usher's Syndrome Type Two in December.
Mrs Jackson said the syndrome included retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease which led to deterioration of vision and sometimes to total blindness.
She said: "Sufferers can experience tunnel vision, which compares with looking through a pipe or tube, central vision loss, poor or no night vision and difficulty with glare.
"Someone once described retinitis pigmentosa as being able to see a pencil on the other side of the room but being able to trip over an elephant on the way to pick it up."
To support Mrs Lowery's marathon for her daughter and SENSE visit www.justgiving. com/Amanda-Lowery.