Please note there may be some changes to future dates due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
A Gainsborough-based support group for people with macular disease is moving to a new venue for its monthly meetings. The Gainsborough Macular Society Support Group will be holding its future meetings at The Salvation Army, Beaumont Street, Gainsborough DN21 2ER. The group meets on the third Monday of each month, from 10.30am to 12.30pm.
Run by local people, in partnership with leading sight loss charity the Macular Society, the group is one of more than 400 of its kind in the UK, offering information, encouragement and support to people affected by macular disease.
Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK. Nearly 1.5 million people are currently affected and many more are at risk. The disease can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, leaving them unable to drive, read or see faces. Many people affected describe losing their sight as being similar to bereavement. There is still no cure and most types of the disease are not treatable. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of macular disease, affecting more than 600,000 people, usually over the age of 50.
Joanne Reader, Macular Society regional manager, said: “This group is here for anybody affected by macular disease and we want to encourage people to come along. Friends and family are also very welcome.
“It’s good to be able to learn from each other’s experiences and get tips. The peer support can be so helpful. Our groups can really help people increase in confidence and become more independent. The meetings are also social occasions where we can chat over a cup of tea.”
For more information on the group, please contact Joanne Reader on 07376 398916, or email joanne.reader@macularsociety.org.
For general information on macular disease, call the Macular Society on 0300 3030 111 or email help@macularsociety.org.