Summer break for support group

Members of Coleraine Macular Society Support Group pictured at one of their meetings

Instead, the group will next meet on Thursday, September 12 from 1.30-3pm, at First Coleraine Presbyterian Church, Abbey Street, Coleraine. The group will then meet at the same time and venue on the second Thursday of each month.

The Macular Society, together with local people, organises the group, which aims to offer information, encouragement and friendship to people who are affected by macular disease and other sight loss conditions.

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.

Members of Coleraine Macular Society Support Group enjoying the meetings

Karen Toogood, Macular Society regional manager said: “The Coleraine Macular Society Support 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 group invites guest speakers on a variety of subjects, including macular conditions and their impact on our daily lives. The meetings are also social occasions where we can chat over a cup of tea.”

In Northern Ireland, the Macular Society has been able to establish and run new sight loss support groups across the country thanks to £250,000 of National Lottery funding from the National Lottery Community Fund (formerly the Big Lottery Fund). This vital investment has enabled the charity to triple the number of its support groups in Northern Ireland, and deliver a range of other vital services, since 2009.

For more information about the group, please contact Karen Toogood on 02891 466 305, or email [email protected]

For more information on macular disease, call the Macular Society on 0300 3030 111 or email [email protected]