Iain Millard
After serving as a Mechanical Transport Driver in the RAF for over 12 years,
St Dunstaner and ex-Corporal Iain Millard was bound to be highly skilled with his hands. But when he left the Force due his failing sight, he could have had little idea that St Dunstan's would help him put his hands to good use in a completely different way!
"Loosing my sight was a real shock. I relished the challenges and variety of life in the RAF. I served in countries all over the world including the Falklands, Cyprus and Germany. But in 1987, that chapter of my life came to an abrupt and shocking end.
I was diagnosed with a rare eye condition that took the sight in my left eye and has left me with only partial vision in my right. I was only 30.
St Dunstan's gave me a helping hand. Trying to cope with a sight problem and losing the career I loved was a real double whammy. I was reduced from someone who had complete confidence in their own abilities to someone who was too frightened to even catch the bus. So when I got in touch with St Dunstan's, I was at a real low point.
St Dunstan's have been brilliant. They invited me to an assessment at the centre at Ovingdean where I tried my hands at all sorts of mobility aids, equipment and met a lot of fantastic people. They helped me to realise I could cope with my sight problem and my confidence started to return.
After that, St Dunstan's helped me to learn all sorts of practical skills like Braille and picture framing. In fact, I became so good at framing that I volunteered at
St Dunstan's for six years.
Finally, St Dunstan's helped me put everything I'd learned into practice by beginning a new career. They funded my training to qualify as a professional masseur and therapist. It's the ideal job for me. I get to meet and help a lot of people. I manage my own clients and my own time. It really allows me to be independent.
What's more, everything St Dunstan's has helped me to learn from Braille and mobility skills to managing my business on the computer is absolutely indispensable. I really do owe them everything.
To give something back, I've run several marathons to raise money for St Dunstan's. Plus, I now come to Ovingdean to offer my services to other St Dunstaners. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to know that I'm helping to ease people's aches and pains!
