Guide Dogs Habilitation Service helps 10 year old Prestonian Ronnie Regan take steps to independence

Ronnie, 10, from Larches, Preston, has been visually impaired since birth. But she doesn’t let her sight problems hold her back – the Ashton Primary School pupil even has ambitions to become a make-up artist.

For more than a year the Guide Dogs association has been helping boost Ronnie’s confidence and life skills as seeks to become ever more independent and prepare for the transition to high school.

For Ronnie and her family it was a revelation that the charity’s work is not just about providing Guide Dogs.

Following a seizure Ronnie has a range of eye conditions including optic nerve hyoplasia, myopia and astigmatism, leaving her with no sight in her left eye and 10% vision in her right eye. The Guide Dogs’ habilitation service helps children to develop movement, practical, social and communication skills.

Mum Sammy said it was only when a teacher at school suggested that Guide Dogs could offer specialist help that the family learned more.

She said: “All her teachers have been absolutely great with her. I didn’t know much about Guide Dogs’ Children and Young People (CYP) service, but three weeks later Carla (Robson) contacted me’.

Habilitation specialist Carla began by assessing Ronnie’s needs at school and during her walk home.

Carla said: “When I first met Ronnie she was able to navigate her school safely and could visually identify people and obstacles, but she found unfamiliar or crowded areas challenging and would need help. I started by providing Ronnie with sensory information when out and about so she could get the fuller picture of her environment. I would identify environmental sounds, such as the increasing volume of vehicles, so she would know we were approaching a road or the feel of tactile paving under her feet.”

Mum Sammy said: “Ronnie has got more confident and more independent. They just helped her with spatial awareness and things like that going to school. She looks forward to seeing Carla as all the tasks are fun. In the past year she has learned balance techniques, crossing roads, feeling money and independence in a shop. She now likes to lead the way sometimes.”

As Ronnie was born with the vision impairment Sammy says she has coped relatively well so far and has great enthusiasm for so many things –including make-up.

Sammy said: “We do make up stuff together a lot. When we’re going out she’ll do her own and if we are having a girls’ night in with a bit of a pamper she can do my make up. She really enjoys it. She will give anything a go and gives 100 per cent.”

She continued: “It’s really nice knowing there are people out there who can help her with her independence and confidence. It was very emotional for me that this is really happening – it hits you like a ton of bricks. It’s a big change for me as well, it’s scary, but it’s what she needs to become independent … and she’s so happy that she’s getting help.”

During lockdown as a thank you for the help of the service Ronnie and Sammy embarked on a Walk Your Socks Off fundraiser walking 15,000 steps a day together for a week and raised £1,100.

Ronnie’s latest challenge is to learn how to use public transport and how to safely navigate and use items around her home.

Ronnie said: “I feel a lot more confidence – it was hard.”

As for getting a guide dog, Sammy says a buddy dog might be an option and in the future Ronnie may indeed need a guide dog.

*How puppy raisers help Guide Dogs and how you could help

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