Taking on a challenge to raise vital funds
Lauryn Brown has a rare form of uveitis that affects her left eye. Uveitis is an autoimmune condition that can result in macular scarring and sight loss. Lauryn also suffers from health-related anxiety and found relief through running. After connecting with RNIB, she ran the London Marathon in the RNIB bib to raise money for others with sight loss.
Uveitis-related sight loss
“My husband and I went out for a picnic when I noticed what looked like a floater in my left eye. Soon after, I kept taking my glasses off to clean them, thinking there was something on the lens, but my vision didn’t improve. Realising something was amiss, I covered my right eye to discover I could see very little out of the left. Panic set in right away.
The doctors diagnosed a rare form of uveitis, but despite treatment, my vision kept getting worse. I was referred to Moorfields Eye Hospital, where the specialists upped the steroids. My condition finally stabilised but the macular lesions had left scarring, and it was too late to recover my sight.
Uveitis is an auto-immune condition that can recur at any time, and on each occasion that happens, it takes more of my eyesight. Recurrences are likely to be worse, and over time, the medication will become less effective, which is a hard thought to live with. Even now, while the condition is stable, my right eye has to compensate for my left, which makes me tired and distorts my vision. Straight lines appear bent and distorted, and when it’s sunny, the light reveals what I can only describe as “blobs” in my eye. I also struggle to see anything when it’s dark.
The doctors assured me I would adapt, but as a person with high health anxiety, I struggled to believe them. Thankfully, I’ve found that they were right. Some days are harder than others, but I did adapt. I haven’t had a relapse in a long while, which the doctors find reassuring, and I hope things continue to remain stable.”
Getting into running
“February is never a good month for me. I get the post-Christmas blues and my mental health tends to drop, which in turn can lead to OCD behaviours that are difficult to cope with. I started running ‘couch-to-5k’ in the hope it would help. The thing is, I couldn't even run around the block when I started, so I used a running machine to stay out of sight and I started to get into it. My eye condition wasn’t something that I could control, but running was different. It gave me focus. I started to get fitter and grew in confidence, until running on the streets became the next, natural step.”
Getting involved in the London Marathon with RNIB
“One night, I was browsing the RNIB website and saw an article on running The London Marathon. It was a light bulb moment for me because I’d always wanted to run the marathon, and what better organisation to run it for than the RNIB? Finishing a 10k run had meant so much, but raising money for others by completing a marathon would be a whole new level of accomplishment. I decided to apply and was delighted when they asked me to run in their bib.
Being part of RNIB’s team was a game changer for me. I was able to witness the bravery of other people with sight loss as they adapt to their condition, and the encouragement of the RNIB has helped me enormously. Through my own experience and the examples of others, I’ve come to believe that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.”