Thomas & Yvonne's story

Yvonne’s father Thomas started to lose his sight in old age, due to macular degeneration. His easy-to-use radio from BWBF has brought independence and a new sense of pleasure in life. 

The challenges of macular degeneration

“He had all the injections,” says Yvonne, “but eventually they couldn’t really do much more. 

“Dad’s always tried to maintain as much independence as he can. Although he’s 101, mentally he’s still very alert. It’s difficult because he’s obviously blind and his hearing isn’t good, and he’s a little bit unsteady now. The radio is something he feels he can control.” 

Finding independence, through BWBF 

Yvonne stumbled across BWBF when looking for a radio her dad would be able to use independently. His new radio has been transformative. 

“The biggest thing about this radio is he can control it himself,” says Yvonne. “I did get an ordinary radio, and I had taped things down so you couldn’t change them by mistake. But having the Relish radio has been great because it’s got an on/off button which makes a noise and big buttons and pre-set choices. It’s made a big difference.” 

Staying connected with the world 

According to Yvonne, being able to listen to the news has helped her dad stay in touch with world events. But it’s also kept him connected with his loved ones.  

“Dad didn’t feel he was able to keep up with current affairs,” reflects Yvonne. “Now that he can listen to the news, he can have a more relevant conversation with somebody. It makes him feel more part of what’s going on. He can talk about what’s happening in Ukraine or what’s happening in America. It was quite isolating before because he couldn’t really access the news.”  

For her dad, the radio has been a vital connection to the world. “Even if you’re not talking to somebody,” she explains, “if you’re listening to the radio and you’re listening to the news, then you’re still feeling part of things.” 

“Sitting listening to the radio is sort of Dad’s natural pose now,” laughs Yvonne. “He has it on all the time.”