Mother of four, Kate Cameron is a longstanding supporter of Fight for Sight. Two of her children, Edward and Beth, who are both at university, live with ADOA (Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy).
“If I can do anything in my lifetime to help prevent my children from losing any more sight, or to give them the opportunity to have better sight, then that’s what I’ll do. Although not life threatening, living with reduced vision affects every aspect of life." So, to boost the funding for research into this condition, Kate is kicking off 2025 by hosting a series of wellbeing lunches.
Using her passion to raise vital funds
Kate is currently studying for a diploma in nutrition and culinary medicine with the International School of Nutritional Medicine. “It's not just about how we eat or what we eat or when we eat. It's everything around it.” Kate explains “My ideal job, once I've qualified, would be to support people to enjoy life more really!” This inspired the idea, behind her upcoming events…
Harnessing wellbeing to tackle sight loss
This seasoned fundraiser has five dates planned through February and March, for her fundraising lunches. Each event will be aimed at women (though men are welcome too). Attendees will be able to enjoy two hours of eating delicious and nutritious food -prepared by Kate herself, from fresh colourful ingredients - while exploring and discussing wellbeing topics such as exercise, weight management, the menopause, sleep, mental health and getting outside. Afterwards, the group will be invited to join Kate on a walk to embrace the mindfulness and invigoration that comes with being in the great outdoors.
“I’m just sowing a seed”, Kate wants the events to be fun as well as informative and restorative, “because I don't ever want to sound like I'm preaching!”
In terms of pricing, Kate is letting participants donate what they think is fair for a three-course meal. She doesn’t want people to be priced out of coming along, “Some people might spend £50 on a meal out, some might spend £20. I want the ball to be in their court, but of course they know that all the proceeds will be going to Fight for Sight.”
A strong commitment to fundraising
These lunches are just the latest in a long list of fundraising activities by the Cameron Family Fund. Kate has been fundraising for Fight for Sight for 12 years now, and her determination has never wavered. “I feel really compelled,” she explains, “I want my children to be able to see really well. I don't know if we'll ever get there but I want to keep trying. As it stands at the moment, if they have children of their own, my grandchildren will have a 50% chance of inheriting the condition.”
Clearly, Kate has a very personal connection to Fight for Sight and people she knows and work with want to support that. The fact she hosts fundraising events in her home demonstrates how personal and important our cause, to ‘Save Sight. Change Lives.’ is to her.
When your children face a sight loss diagnosis
Kate has turned her passion to support her children and Fight for Sight into action. But the journey hasn’t always been an easy one. “When Beth was diagnosed with ADOA, aged 5, the consultant said, ‘You'll need some time to digest this and grieve.’ and I felt quite shocked because my reaction was, ‘we will manage this’. However I felt relieved that we had a diagnosis and and in fact Beth’s sight is part of who she is. Of course, I wish she could see better but she's 19 now, she's at university, living independently, and she is very good at getting her needs met.”
Kate has always encouraged her children to speak openly about their experiences and requirements. They would always put their hands up if they needed bigger text, or to sit at the front of the classroom, “I’ve tried to make sure they didn't just sit in a corner and not see and simply not take part.” And that encouragement has paid off, in the sixth form, Beth refused to sit tests when the school didn’t provide the modified paper correctly.
“Even though they’re both at university now, I think it's important that Edward and Beth see that I'm still trying to do something, that I'm not going to sit and accept that's what they've been given in the way of vision. I want them to see that I'm still fighting for them to have better sight.”
I want my children to be able to see really well. I don't know if we'll ever get that but I want to keep trying.
Kate’s top tips for eating and living more healthily
Here are three of the many tips and insights Kate will be sharing at her fundraising events:
- Eat from the rainbow! Try to enjoy a wide range of colourful vegetables, which should ideally take up half the plate.
- Make an easy swap from refined carbohydrates to complex ones, so wholewheat pasta instead of white, and brown rice to replace white.
- Try to eat three meals a day without snacking between, not just from a calorie intake point of view, but regarding metabolism and blood sugar levels. The UK is currently going through a diabetes crisis, which can of course lead to Diabetic Retinopathy, and one of the things that can increase the risk of diabetes is blood sugar fluctuations caused by snacking.
Do you have a passion you could tap into as far of a Fundraising Event? Please do contact our Events Team for support, resources and promotion. They’d love to hear from you!
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