Raising awareness of sight loss — one step at a time

Nicky Button’s life was torn apart and turned upside down when she lost most of her sight through an incurable and rare eye disease.

Amid the continued deterioration of her eyesight, which will eventually leave her blind, Nicky knew she had to act if she was to see “stunningly beautiful” Orkney once more.

The former stunt specialist, who has worked on some of film and TV’s biggest productions, has arrived in the county to walk the St Magnus Way, the first step in a momentous and epic mission to raise awareness of the devastating impact of visual impairment.

In an inspirational and remarkable feat, the mother of one has chosen Orkney as the starting point of a monumental trek from one end of the country to the other, ending at the Isles of Scilly.

It is an adventure which she estimates will take her six months to complete, and see her walk around 1,300 miles.

Speaking in the The Orcadian last week, she explained how, in the space of just four months, she lost everything after being diagnosed with Stargardt disease in 2013.

As she begins her journey, she hopes people in Orkney will join her for as little or as long as they wish, providing company but also an opportunity to boost awareness of sight loss.

If you would like to join Nicky while she is in Orkney, then you can follow her, or get in touch with her via Facebook (Nicky’s most marvellous, ridiculous adventure); Instagram (@Blind.girl.walking); or email (nicky.button@yahoo.com).