Jeffrey is one of the heroes who will participate in the Dam to Dam run for the Eye Care Foundation this year. Or rather, he is a super hero! Jeffrey`s vision has become severely impaired due to Leber congenital amaurosis, a genetic deterioration of the optic nerves. But this does not prevent him from being an avid athlete.
Jeffrey says: Hello, my name is Jeffrey. It may not be immediately obvious, but I am severely visually impaired. I worked as a sous-chef in restaurants until I was 23 years old. Then disaster struck and I lost my eyesight. Within two months, my vision deteriorated from 100% to 5%. Unfortunately I can see nothing but light and dark. I was diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis, a genetic deterioration of the optic nerve which is very rare. There is nothing wrong with my eyes, but images are not passed on to my brains. Despite all this, I won`t let it stop me and I try to get the most out of life. Sports, especially football, have always been my passion. Unfortunately I can`t pursue my dream of playing soccer now, but being fit and athletic remains essential to my wellbeing. Since March 2016 I have taken up a new challenge: running with my buddy Thara. This is going so well that we have set ourselves the goal to run long distances in mayor running events.
