A blind woman who is getting ready to skydive to benefit a charitable organization has said she is “nervous and excited” about the event. She thinks Ugo, her guiding dog, will enjoy the excitement as well.
Derby resident Louann Kent is taking part in a tandem skydiving in order to raise money for Guide Dogs, the organization that matched her with her golden retriever, Ugo, in 2017. She has been greatly assisted by Ugo in regaining her freedom. Even though Ugo won’t be jumping with her, he will be waiting for her when she lands on the earth.”I think he’ll be thrilled, but he gets excited about everything,” Louann remarked. “
He’ll probably just wag his tail and wonder what’s happening.” Louann, a resident of Chaddesden, needed spectacles and contact lenses when she was a small child due to her extreme myopia. Myopia-related issues made her eyesight worse, and in 2004 she became pregnant again and her vision progressively deteriorated. “Dealing with vision loss while caring for two young children was incredibly challenging,” Louann explained. “
I recall finding it difficult to see in the dark when I had to pick up my children from the nursery. There were plenty of challenging times.”Louann lost all vision by the time her third child was born in 2012. She made the decision to have a guide dog in order to have more independence, and five years later, she was matched with Ugo. “I will always remember the day I successfully dropped my son off at school by myself.
It was an amazing feeling, both powerful and terrible. It was great to be able to walk at a regular pace on my own,” she said. Ugo was referred to by Louann as “the most amazing and loving dog.” She claimed that even at nine years old, “He still gets excited and follows me around everywhere at home.”The idea for the charity skydive came to her after seeing a post on Facebook.
Although Louann had always wanted to try skydiving, she admits she’s feeling some anxiety ahead of the jump, particularly due to her blindness and hearing loss. “I’m just wondering how well I’ll be able to communicate during the dive,” she shared. Louann is one of over 100 participants across the UK taking part in 12 skydiving events for Guide Dogs, a campaign they’ve aptly named “Blind Panic.” Collectively, the participants hope to raise £100,000.
Louann has already raised over £1,000 through sponsorship. Claire Robotham, fundraising manager for Guide Dogs, expressed her gratitude: “We want to extend a big thank you to Louann and all the volunteers in the Blind Panic challenge. The funds raised will make a huge difference for those living with sight loss. As a charity that depends on donations, every penny is vital.”
