Sindhu’s story

I am Sindhu from India. I was diagnosed with Stargardt’s when I was 18 years old, back in 2020. I had just completed my school and was preparing for undergrad entrance exams, when my father noticed that I was reading through the book keeping it too close to my eyes. After doing the fundus photography, it was confirmed that I have this rare genetic disorder. After my visits to doctors, I found out the lack of awareness about this condition in India. I researched about this disorder and mentally prepared myself.

As a visually impaired person, I faced various institutional and physical barriers. The public transport infrastructure in India is not that visually disabled friendly, so I had to use my mobile phone to zoom and read the instructions. Books with small fonts too don’t work for me. It is impossible for me to recognise faces from a distance.

I have a bachelors degree in Biology and Chemistry from Miranda House, University of Delhi. Currently, I am based in UK and pursuing an MPH (Masters of Public Health) from The University of Manchester. I have a keen interest in community health and public policy and wish to make a positive impact on rare diseases globally. My parent’s support and learnings to be resilient and to always rise to challenges have made me what I am today. I will never let Stargardt’s stop me from what I want to achieve in life.