Angela Blackwell and her guide dog, Jaydee. (Photo: provided)
When Angela Blackwell was diagnosed with a rare eye disease in 2010, she did not realize that this disease would completely steal her sight a few years later.
Even less did she think that after this loss she would successfully complete Wild Child Africa’s challenging Pondo route on the Wild Coast. However, with her faithful guide dog, Jaydee (whom she calls her “little white wolf”), she completed this route in February and with it collected a whopping R500 000 to fund the training of four new guide dogs.
“My mother had the same disease, retinitis pigmentosa. It is a hereditary eye disease,” Blackwell tells Maroela Media.
“However, she only started to experience significant vision loss at 70. It was confirmed in 2010 that I had inherited the gene, but I honestly thought that I still had decades before I would experience a loss of vision.”
For quite a few years there were no signs of deterioration. However, in 2018 the picture began to change, and in 2021 Blackwell was declared blind.
“It wasn’t just a sudden loss of sight and developed over three years to a place where I could no longer see. I couldn’t leave the house alone for almost two years after that – someone had to come with me every time.”
However, good news knocked on the Blackwell family’s door in 2023: She will finally, after an exhausting waiting period, get a guide dog. Meet Jaydee.
Blackwell, who lives in Cape Town, is the proud mother of two teenage daughters. She is also an ambitious woman who works in marketing.
(Photo: provided)
“Continuing to work after my sight started to deteriorate was my salvation. I had a goal. I had to adapt, master new technology and learn to work in a different way. I also realized how important it is to be surrounded by the right people. I have wonderful family and friends who carried me through that period of my life.
“There is no guide to guide you when you go blind, but my people have been an incredible support network. You have to surround yourself with people who fill your cup again, and I’m fortunate enough to have had that. A positive point of departure in life is also of crucial importance; I had to change my own way of thinking. It wasn’t always easy; it’s not like you just turn a light on or off.”
Blackwell can’t get over Jaydee. This dog changed her life, she says.
“She is everything I could have hoped for. She gave me the confidence and courage to be brave. We had to work on our partnership; it was a training process during which we had to get to know each other. We started with things like sidewalks and lifts, but I realized very quickly that this dog only wanted to do one thing – and that was to move.
“I wanted so badly to be outside again, to go hiking in the mountains again, but I didn’t think that would ever be possible for me again.
“There is one day that stands out for me: A friend and I went hiking on a mountain trail for the first time since I was declared blind. Everything changed that day, and we regularly went hiking mountain trails after that.”
A year after Jaydee became part of the family, the decision was made – Blackwell will attempt to complete the Pondo walking route with Jaydee and a group of 20 family members and friends.
They prepared for 14 months, during which Blackwell and Jaydee had to further strengthen their relationship of trust. Jaydee also had to learn to swim during that period, as there are rivers and pools on the Pondo route.
An idea began to take hold with Blackwell during this preparation period: What if she started sharing her journey with people?
“I could have done it quietly with my friends and family. Ultimately, there are three reasons why I not only shared my story, but also launched a fundraiser.
“Firstly, I wanted to shine the spotlight on the South African Guide Dog Association and the amazing work they do. Second, I wanted to showcase the incredible friendship of trust between me and Jaydee, as we are the first two to undertake and complete such a challenge.
“Third, and this is actually the most important: I wanted to show that living with blindness does not mean that you have to live small. We are all programmed to have preconceived ideas. I wanted to challenge these ideas and change people’s way of thinking about blindness.”
(Photo: provided)
The challenge was particularly important to Blackwell on a personal level, but over time it became much bigger than she would have ever imagined. In the process, she also reached her R500 000 target. This money has already been handed over to the South African Guide Dog Association and will fund the training of four new guide dogs.
“Two of the puppies have already been born,” says Blackwell excitedly. “They are now about eight weeks old and on their way to Cape Town to live with people who will raise them until they are ready to be trained.
“I know the impact Jaydee has had on my life, and I want to give that level of empowerment, bravery and self-confidence to other people as well. I realize on a very deep level how valuable this gift is.
“I want to use my growing platform to challenge preconceived notions, change mindsets and support the South African Guide Dog Association for the Blind through future speaking engagements and ongoing awareness work.”
- Visit this website for more information about the South African Guide Dog Association.
- Visit this Instagram page to find out more about Angela Blackwell and her guide dog Jaydee’s journey with blindness.