My name is Catriona Cameron and I’m 23 years old, from Runcorn in Cheshire. I am currently awaiting the results of my Masters Degree in Acting, having just handed in my thesis to ‘The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts’ (otherwise known as the Paul McCartney Fame School!!). This year, on April 18th, a dream came true for me when I was crowned Miss Cheshire 2009 at Middlewich Civic centre, Cheshire. The Miss Cheshire pageant is a regional heat of the ‘Miss Beauty Queen UK’ event which is a national event attracting hundreds of young women across the country who compete for regional titles and a place in the glamorous grand-final (which was held at Cranage Hall Hotel on May 2nd and where I placed fourth nationally, also gaining the titles of ‘Miss Best Smile’ and ‘Miss Best Swimwear’). As Pageant Director Neil Ednie says “Miss Beauty Queen is a pageant with strong values and firm beliefs. It is not a modelling competition, but a competition that has no sizing, no weight or height restrictions or ethnic boundaries. We simply want the girls to be happy and to enjoy this wonderful experience’.
In my role as Miss Cheshire I am given the opportunity to use my title to promote groups and events within my local community and also as a platform to promote a charity of my choice. I am overjoyed to announce that for the duration as my reign as ‘Miss Cheshire 2009’ I shall be the official patron of ‘Vision Support’ and will be working closely with Jane Arends, the Charity’s Funding Officer to fundraise for Vision Support. Vision Support is a regional charity covering Cheshire and North Wales which offers an invaluable service to people coping with visual impairment. I am incredibly honoured to become involved with the sterling work of Vision Support, as I myself have struggled with a visual difficulty throughout my life.
Just over a year ago I was officially diagnosed with ‘Irlen Syndrome’, and although I was born with the condition it was not recognised until I was 21. Irlen Syndrome, also known as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS), is a type of visual perceptual problem. It is a problem with how the nervous system encodes and decodes visual information. Academic and work performance, behaviour, attention, ability to sit still and concentration can all be affected. Individuals with this problem see the printed page differently, although they may not realize that they do. Having Irlen Syndrome keeps many people from reading effectively, efficiently, or even at all. Until now, it has baffled educators and medical scientists because it is undetected by standard visual, educational and medical tests. Irlen has a patented treatment-method which uses specially formulated, coloured overlays or coloured lenses worn as glasses or contact lenses to reduce or eliminate perception difficulties.
As I also have a problem with long-distance vision, and was first diagnosed at high school, I received my standard optical prescription and after I picked my frames and had my prescription lenses fitted I then sent them to the Irlen centre in Long Beach, California, USA, where the lenses where coated with my special prescription colour filters.
Since receiving my Irlen glasses my life has changed significantly, I previously experienced panic attacks when I was in busy places with lots of visual information and was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, since wearing the glasses this problem has been completely elevated.
Whilst writing my BA (hons) dissertation I struggled severely with reading and writing and relied heavily on the aid of the learning support department at my University to provide text books with enlarged print, speak-write computer programmes and coloured paper for worksheets. Since my diagnosis I’ve been able to complete my Masters Dissertation which required a vast amount of reading and a 20,000 word paper. Before my diagnosis the task of writing this paper would have been enough to bring me out in a cold sweat and nightmares, but since receiving my specifically tinted lenses I have actually enjoyed spending hours in the library reading and researching!
I was lucky that I received the help and support I needed to diagnose my visual condition and to allow me to fulfil my educational potential, I hope to establish a career as an actress and am already on the path to that goal, having a visual difficulty doesn’t hold me back in anyway. Now I am dedicated to working with Vision Support to make sure that anyone coping with a visual impairment receives the help and support they require to help them achieve their potential and live life to the fullest. Vision Support offer a variety of services to their users including Mobile Information Units to allow people to access support and services, static resource centres in Chester, Runcorn, Wrexham and Rhyl, IT training and also more personal support services such as home visits and social clubs. At the moment they are managing several fundraising drives and also running schemes in schools which are aimed at promoting awareness of visual impairments. I believe it is very important for children to be aware of the difficulties faced by those coping with a visual impairment but also to knowledgeable of the support available. I also feel it is important for children, and adults, to attend regular sight-tests to protect their vision, prevent deterioration and detect other health isuues. Sight is one of the most precious senses a human possesses and we should cherish it and do everything we can to maintain our vision. Sight deterioration or loss of vision can be a scary and isolating experience for the suffer but with the support offered by Vision Support it need not prevent anyone from living their life to the fullest possible extent, learning new skills and fulfilling their dreams.
About the author
Catriona Cameron is Miss Cheshire 2009, and placed fourth in Miss UK 2009. She became patron of Vision Support in May 2009.
