My Story

My Dad, My Hero ( Kate's Dad)

At just 12 years old, my dad lost his eye in a freak accident. Despite that, he’s never lost sight of the most important things in life: family and his incredible sense of humour. Growing up, I admired his strength and resilience. Sixty years ago, support for young people with sight loss was scarce, which is why I’ve chosen to run the London Marathon for VICTA, a charity supporting children and young adults with visual impairments.

Fate played its part too, as a chance meeting with someone special (thanks, Kim!) solidified my decision to run for this wonderful cause.

In 2024, my dad underwent eye surgery that left him blind for weeks. Watching him go through multiple operations with such courage, and eventually regaining his sight, made me even prouder to call him my dad. His perseverance and strength inspire me every day.

My dad is my hero. He ran marathons himself, and now I’m committed to following in his footsteps.

If my story resonates with you, I would deeply appreciate any donation, big or small, to help me achieve my goal.

VICTA is a small but national charity in the UK that empowers children and young adults who are blind or partially sighted and their families. Aware that feelings of isolation and loneliness are dominant within the world of vision impairment, VICTA use activity-based learning as a positive setting for social interaction. For blind and partially sighted young people, involvement in team-based activities can be positively associated with social acceptance and a sense of belonging, especially where such involvement is characterised by positive coaching, progressive skill development and peer support. VICTA work hard to help young people question limiting presumptions they might have, helping them to view themselves and their potential in a new way. VICTA want them to be able to make a difference to their own lives.

Donate today to help VICTA provide:

• Family activities which support and empower families with a vision impaired child through shared experiences
• Young Achievers activities for 0-10 year olds, designed to support families with very young children who have just received a vision impairment diagnosis
• Pre-teen and Youth Activities for 10-17 year olds, which offer hands-on learning and support personal growth in fun, safe and supportive environments
• Young Adult Activities which support the development of life skills and the transition into adulthood and the workplace
• Parent services including the VICTA Parent Portal, Parent Network and online parent workshops which help parents overcome the challenges of raising a child with a visual impairment