Skip to content

Woman losing sight climbs three mountains

Alice Cunningham
BBC News, Suffolk
Contributed Dawn Blezard smiles at the camera at the top of a mountain. She has blonde hair and wears sunglasses as well as a black long sleeved top with a yellow T-shirt over the top. She has a hood over her head.Contributed
Dawn Blezard took on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge for the Macular Society

A woman who is losing her eyesight has climbed three mountains to encourage others to "make every minute count".

Dawn Blezard, 49, from Sudbury, Suffolk, was diagnosed with Stargardt's disease following a routine eye test in 2020.

It is a rare genetic condition and Mrs Blezard, a yoga teacher, has already lost all vision in her left eye with her right also deteriorating.

On Saturday and Sunday she took on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, walking 30 miles (48km) in aid of the Macular Society, which supported her during her diagnosis.

Contributed Mrs Blezard and her support team pictured climbing part of the mountain. They all are looking at the ground as they climb and some have walking poles.Contributed
Mrs Blezard was supported by her yoga community during the challenge

Mrs Blezard was joined by members of her yoga community during the walk.

They set off at 08:00 BST on Saturday to take on the first mountain, Pen-y-Ghent.

"I had friends either side. I can't see out of my left eye so it was facing the cliff face, they were telling me where to put my feet as I clambered up," she said.

"I got halfway up and I started crying. I [felt] I was holding everybody up; I was too slow and [the team] talked me around and we carried on.

"That took about seven hours, to do the first one."

Contributed Mrs Blezard walks with her arm around her husband's waist. He is looking at her as they walk with his arm also around her shoulders. He has short grey hair and has sunglasses on his head. Contributed
Mrs Blezard's husband James was unable to do the challenge due to a knee injury but met her at the end to congratulate her

The team took on the other two mountains, Whernside and Ingleborough, on Sunday due to Mrs Blezard's sight issues.

Due to a member of the team suffering an injury, Mrs Blezard actually walked six miles (10km) more than the challenge normally entails.

However, she said she was grateful for the team's support and that the experience had been "amazing".

Contributed Mrs Blezard and some of the team stand at the top of a mountain. They all wear matching yellow T-shirts over the top of warmer clothes. Contributed
The team and Mrs Blezard have raised over £1,500 for the Macular Society

"I was absolutely exhausted. My legs were so heavy, but I was so joyful," she said.

"I was feeling just how small we are when you're standing there.

"Seeing the mountains and how Mother Nature is, I was just thinking, 'You've just got to do it, you've got to do whatever you want in life, and you've got to put one foot in front of the other and keep going - don't give up'.

"I believe that you've got to live life and not just do life, and you've got to make every minute count."

Mrs Blezard has so far raised over £1,500 for the Macular Society and is already considering walking the Norfolk coast as her next challenge.

Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

More on this story
Related internet links