Joshua Cudmore talks to LSJ News reporter Kieran Parrish about his life with Retinitis Pigmentosa and his Charity run
Joshua Cudmore (25), who lives in Lincoln, suffers from a rare eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. To raise money for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) he will run 10 miles whilst his father, Johnathan (45), will run the remaining 16 miles.
Retinitis Pigmentosa is a hereditary, degenerative condition which causes irreparable damage to the retina at the back of the eye and can lead to tunnel vision and, in some cases, blindness.
On a day to day level Retinitis Pigmentosa causes Joshua significant issues with his sight which affects how he lives his life and he is constantly living with the fear that his eyesight may go entirely, leaving him blind.
Joshua, who is a long supporting Imps’ fan, discussed the impact that his eye condition could have on his future: “As you get older and you see your friends moving on with their lives, you get very frightened thinking is it going to affect me and my social life which can have a pretty bad effect on your mental health.”
Joshua first discovered he had Retinitis Pigmentosa when he was 4 years old and it was passed down to him and his brother. Joshua has been supporting his brother for many years as he finds his way through their condition.
Joshua is running for the RNIB due to the support he has received in the past: “The RNIB have been very present in my support and the work that they do for people with visual impairment is fantastic. This is all able to be done because of their fundraising work”.
On his Just Giving page the Imps’ fan says: “We want to ensure no one faces this diagnosis alone and that people with sight loss can live independently in a world with no barriers in the way of the life they want to lead”.
Joshua was keen to point out the benefits that running the 10 miles would have for his self esteem and fitness.
When asked what advice he would give others suffering from his condition, Joshua said: “Don’t suffer alone because it will effect your mental health badly, reach out to people”.