Imagine losing your sight over a few years, but no-one really knowing why. Now imagine doing so while you’re 30, with a husband, two young children, a full-time job and a horse you love entering into endurance-riding events.
That’s what happened to Christchurch mother Laura Kelmere, now 32, who has suffered from compromised vision since she was a child.
“I started wearing glasses when I was three,” says Laura, who was born and raised in Limerick, in the west of Ireland.
But having less-than-perfect vision didn’t get in the way of Laura living a full life, including doing a year of travel and a tourism degree. “I didn’t finish it because I decided I wanted to get out and travel rather than study it!”
Following stints in the US and a three-month visit to New Zealand, Laura returned in 2009. Not long after, she met her Kiwi husband Ben, a project manager, and the couple made Christchurch their home after the Canterbury earthquakes.
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“Then we had our kids Sophie [10] and George [eight],” tells Laura. “Along with my work as an accounts and payroll manager, life was busy.
After Sophie was born, Laura noticed her sight deteriorating, so she went to a specialist, who tried to reassure her that nothing was wrong. But things didn’t improve and eventually Laura gave up driving at night – and then driving altogether. “I’m not easily scared, but driving became scary.”
The ever-resourceful mum decided the best way to get her children to school, and herself to work, was on an e-bike. But in 2020, while on the way to collect her kids, she was tragically hit by a car.
“It was entirely my fault,” admits Laura. “I was staring directly at the car yet didn’t see it and pulled out in front of it. I was lucky I only had bruising and was actually more embarrassed than hurt. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen the car, so I went to another specialist. But that didn’t go well because he told me nothing was wrong with my eyesight and implied that I was simply depressed because I’d turned 30, which wasn’t true at all!”
Thanks to a persistent GP, Laura went back to that specialist for tests, which confirmed that even though they couldn’t determine the extact genetic mutation responsible, she would eventually lose sight in both eyes.
“In a way, it was a relief to finally find out that I wasn’t imagining it. Knowing that I was going blind meant I had to step up and find a way forward.”
That included learning how to use a cane with the help of Blind Low Vision NZ and upskilling with the latest technology, such as a smart phone and laptop with built-in voiceover that can read out emails and texts.
It also included getting on the waiting list for a guide dog.
“I was lucky because some people can wait years for a dog, but I only had to wait11 months for Ryder.”
The two-year-old black Labrador retriever moved into Laura’s home – and heart – in August last year. Since then, her life has changed dramatically.
“I feel like I have wings,” laughs Laura. “One of the biggest changes is getting the kids to school. Previously, the journey would take more than 30 minutes and I’d be constantly worried about crossing the road or getting my cane stuck in cracks in the footpath. But with Ryder, we can do the trip in 12 minutes.
“I’ve always been someone who walks quickly, so it really frustrated me when it took so long to get anywhere. But Ryder matches my pace and I never have to worry about a curb again. I just give him a direction and trust he will take me there.”
Also back on the agenda are visits to shopping malls and cafés, previously no-go zones because of the risk of bumping into people or falling over. “I constantly had bruised shins and an injured right shoulder from bumping into so many objects and people. But Ryder has saved me from all of that.”
A life-long animal lover who never let her blindness prevent her from riding her beloved horse Pluto, Laura says having a guide dog has also made her home a happier place.
“Ryder is full of beans and is so entertaining. The kids were nervous about getting a dog, but now they absolutely love him.”
Laura’s family love Ryder as much as she does.
Ryder, she explains, has given her back the confidence to not only return to work – this time doing the accounts for her brother’s construction company – but also to go out into the world every day.
“Ryder is my constant companion and I can’t think about my life without him,” she reflects. “I’m thankful that something so negative turned out to be positive.”
Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dog Puppy Appeal week starts 20 March and supports the Guide Dog Kennel Build Appeal.
