WHEN first diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, a rare form of juvenile macular degeneration, Horsham’s Matt De Gruchy thought he was going to live trapped in a blind stereotype.
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Six year’s later, Mr De Gruchy has proved the stereotypes and himself, wrong.
Now he is determined to show young and newly diagnosed people, their vision may be failing but their future is bright.
”When I was diagnosed in 2006 I felt as if I had to hide it,” he said.
“It wasn’t something to talk about but to kick under the carpet.
“That’s why I do the work I do now, so young people or older people hear my story and I hope they get something out of what I do.”
Mr De Gruchy advocates on social media and raises fund for See Through My Eyes, a charity dedicated to supporting vision impaired people achieve their goals.
He raised more than $1,000 last year for Relay4Vision.
His charity work and mindset saw him named this month’s Horsham Florist’s Unsung Hero. He was nominated by family friend Pat Scott.
“I am absolutely in awe of Matt,” she said.
“I have to keep reminding myself he’s only 19.”
Ms Scott said with only six percent vision Matt could easily sit back doing nothing, but instead dedicates himself to his job at Cheap as Chips and his fundraising.
“He is so passionate about promoting Stargardt's and any other disease that renders us blind,” she said
“He is a great example to us all with his beliefs – he says with the right attitude you can do anything.
“The way he chooses to live his life and make a walkway for other unsighted people to me is admirable.”
Mr De Gruchy said he was shocked to find out he was successfully nominated for the prize.
“I had to wait around all day and had no idea what I was waiting for or why I was being kept at a friend’s house,” he said.
“It wasn’t expected at all, but I was proud to accept something like that.”
Mr De Gruchy said the motive behind his work is simply to defy and dismiss stereotype around vision impairment.
“I wanted to break stereotypes,” he said.
“I wanted to break down that barrier. People hear someone is blind or impaired and think they see nothing, or only see black and that’s not true.”
Mr De Gruchy said he never would have achieved anything he has without the help of his friend Ben Plunkett who has assisted him every step of the way.
Horsham Florist co-owner Heather Harrison said people could nominate an Unsung Hero on the florist’s Facebook page, by calling 5382 1834.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
