Laurie Grovenor is an active and dedicated advocated for people who are blind or vision impaired, living in rural and regional areas of Southern NSW.

A veteran of eight guide dogs, the founder of the Rural Disability Network, a council member for the Disability Council of NSW, a rural advisor for the Women with Disability Australia Network, a board director for Blind Citizens Australia, a counsellor by trade and a public speaker for Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, Laurie is nothing short of a remarkable woman.

Living in Galong, Mrs Grovenor works to assist those who need it most by travelling to communities to deliver speeches or help those with a vision impairment make adjustments to their home.

On her visit to Young and the Arthritis NSW group, Mrs Grovenor was able to offer a thorough insight into the many uphill battles being blind presents.

“I feel that it becomes socially acceptable once a person knows how it works,” Mrs Grovenor said.

Mrs Grovenor was born with a condition many of us know little about – Keratoconus - a thinning of the front surface of the eye. As a result of this thinning, the normally round shape of the cornea is distorted and a cone-like bulge develops, resulting in significant visual impairment.

In addition to this, Mrs Grovenor also suffers with glaucoma and cataracts, but despite this, she still has an enormous passion for life and makes jokes of her impairment – just like the time she met one of her good friends.

Jenny, who is also visually impaired was walking down the street, after bumping into each other, both ladies were very apologetic and revealed they were blind. From that day they have continued to talk and remain very close friends and support one another through the struggles they face.

“I think that one of the biggest problems people with disabilities face is ignorance,” she said.

The key to solving this, Mrs Grovenor believes is education.