Jill's story

At 87, Jill lost her husband, her cat and much of her sight in the space of a few months. Now living alone, she says the USB player she received from BWBF is “a lifeline”, filling her home with stories once again.

In the space of just a few months, Jill's life changed profoundly. Her husband died. She lost her beloved cat. Then she suffered a stroke. Diagnosed with macular degeneration several years earlier, Jill’s sight had been stable. But the stroke caused it to deteriorate rapidly.

“I lost everything in a short time," says Jill, now 87 and living alone.  “Everything is foggy and misty. I can’t read anymore, nor drive.”

A lifeline through sound

Jill was referred to British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF) and we sent her a Synapptic USB Player.  “You’ve been wonderful - so helpful to me. I admire what you do," Jill told us, and she describes the Player as “a lifeline", offering companionship and ease of use.

“It’s so easy - you just use forward, back and volume. That’s all I need.” Reading had once been of Jill's greatest pleasures - but her sight loss had made it impossible. Now Jill listens to short stories in the evening. The clear speech works perfectly with her hearing aids, and the simple three-button design gives her confidence and control.

Determined to keep going

Jill had always been active. She volunteered in a local charity shop for twenty-two years and fostered cats for over a decade. “Life now is very, very difficult, but you just get on with it. One day at a time," she told us.

She meets her close friend weekly for coffee. Friends help with shopping. She uses her walking stick when needed. She still finds joy in small things: a chat, a coffee, a voice telling her a story.

“You can’t change what’s happened,” she says. “But you can still choose to smile."