Could I ever run for this charity?

[SquintingEnthusiast]

Hi, I have KC in both eyes and have had collagen x- linking procedures three times (one failed and so far two have worked well for which I’m very grateful). I just have to wear one contact lens (vision in that eye is useless without it)z I lead a pretty full life and I feel I’ve been supported pretty well throughout. First few years (16 years ago) were more than anything just fraught with wait lists and travelling to and from the eye unit, overarching memory was being bored (was all extremely time consuming) and finding it tedious and then post op pain- all temporary. Still have bad days with my lens but compared to the alternative I’m extremely grateful. I’m aware that I’ve been lucky, by chance it was picked up by an optometrist who was just interested and read an article about it, similarly people at the not so local eye unit were running trials of cross linking so another stroke of luck.

Is there anyway I could raise money for this charity? Or would I be better off raising for a big eye charity. I confess that part of my interest would be to see what events I could sign up for (it would be sports stuff).

[Anne Klepacz]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
It's good to read that you were diagnosed early and that cross-linking has meant KC doesn't have too much effect on your life now.
Of course we'd be delighted if you wanted to raise money for us. People have fundraised for us in all sorts of ways in the past - bungee jumping, walking the Thames Path, running marathons and half marathons. In our most recent newsletter https://keratoconus-group.org.uk/newsletters/ you'll find our thanks to Cameron Optometry in Edinburgh, who ran the Edinburgh marathon for us.
Or you could fundraise for a charity like Fight for Sight, which funds research into eye conditions including keratoconus. As a large charity, they organise various events (we're too small to buy guaranteed places at events like the London Marathon). Their website gives lots of ideas.
https://www.fightforsight.org.uk/get-in ... ge-events/
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Anne