Meet Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria Ambassador, Dave.

Dave encourages us to engage in new opportunities. Read about his journey with vision loss.

Living with low vision since childhood, the end of my eyesight occurred in June 2021. The diagnosis of the eye condition was initially Wagner’s Syndrome and recently S Cone Syndrome.

Once I passed the grieving and feeling sorry for myself, I started searching the internet to find ‘where to now’.

Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria stood out. Maurice Gleeson and his team showed me there were options that would meet my needs. Over the past two years after joining BSRV I’ve not looked back.

I am now privileged to be an Ambassador for the organisation and be part of such an inclusive organisation that is greatly valued by all. I’ve discovered that the loss of my sight does not have to be the end, it can be a journey of adaption, perseverance, learning, discovery, and being comfortable with who I am in this new world.

I am fortunate that this is my path and life is once again more precious and worth getting out of bed for.

My introduction to BSRV was through the Aqua Fit Program, a form of water aerobics, and it is a definite winner. The Recreation activities BSRV provide are well worth travelling from Gippsland for.

Recent activities I have attended include group walks, such as the Plenty Gorge walking tour. The great assistance provided by BSRV and Parks Victoria made this a very valuable experience. Next was a Foodie tour of Coburg to discover the diverse cultural delights of this multicultural area. 

Recreational activities provide the right environment to meet people that I can engage with, relate to, and discover new things with. Afterwards I feel the sense of doing something special and ultimately making new friendships.

When we participate in activities offered by BSRV we enter a whole world of ‘What Is Possible’.

For people who seek options other than sports, BSRV provides a variety of recreational programs where you can interact with people socially and encounter new activities and places. Accepting new challenges helps us to think outside the box, and as we do that, there is personal growth and the knowledge that we can engage in new opportunities suited to wherever we are on our journey.

As an Ambassador my goals are to:

• Bring awareness of what BSRV has to offer to people who are blind or have low vision.
• Promote the achievements of all who are part of the BSRV family.
• Demonstrate that BSRV activities can be accessible to those living in regional Victoria, especially with programs such as those offered by Zoom.
• Acknowledge that we are all valued, we bring our individuality with us, and that is respected.
• Encourage an understanding of life as a person with low vision or blindness and sharing that with young people.
• Encourage greater awareness of the role of BSRV, not only in the lives of people who are blind or have low vision, but the relevance of BSRV in the wider community in terms of its function, its members and the incredible outcomes that are achieved.

My Motto: GO FOR IT.

Read about the group culinary experience Dave attended in Couburg.

Discover Aqua Fit at Dandenong Oasis in our short video below.

Click here to read more about BSRV's other wonderful Ambassadors