chairman honours partially-sighted woman

Published Date: 29 July 2008
By Staff reporter
The chairman of Strabane District Council has honoured a local ambassador for
the blind and partially sighted, Annmarie Houston at a reception.
Mrs Houston, who works as a librarian was diagnosed in her early 20s with
Retinitis Pigmentosa, a condition which affects one in 3,000 people.

Rather than feeling defeated by her diagnosis, Annmarie turned her energies to
assisting other people who were blind or partially sighted.

She threw herself enthusiastically into volunteer work with the RNIB charity
which supports people with the condition. Annmarie spent three years
representing local visually impaired people on RNIB UK and one year on
RNIB’S Board in London, before being appointed project officer for an RNIB
project based in Derry.

Speaking at the reception, Sinn Fein Councillor Jarlath McNulty said: “I
feel honoured to be in the presence of such a positive, dynamic lady who has
positively embraced her visual impairment and channelled all her energies into
making a real difference to the lives of people with a visual impairment.”

Annmarie was also honoured earlier in the year at the Derry Journal’s
North West People of the Year awards for her commitment to the blind and
partially sighted
 

http://www.derryjournal.com/strabane/Chairman-honours-partiallysighted-woman.433\
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