Vicky, a visually impaired sportswoman who has played six sports for her country, wants to inspire others to take up a sport this summer, no matter the barriers they face.
Vicky Howarth, from Blackley in Manchester, has lived an extraordinary life and was diagnosed at 17 years old with Stargardt disease, a rare genetic eye disease that slowly starts to disconnect your eye from your brain.
Now aged 43, Vicky has played six sports for Great Britain, playing at national and European level. These include table tennis, cheerleading, horse riding (in two disciplines, able-bodied and dressage), goalball and judo.
Over the years Vicky has been supported by Henshaws, the local sight loss charity across Manchester and Yorkshire, and now works for the charity, praising the support that is given to others with visual impairments.
Vicky has always been heavily involved with sports, and as a teenager was a brilliant table tennis player, travelling to train and compete in China at just 15 years old. Vicky was on the pathway to the Commonwealth Games in 2002 when she received news she never expected.
Vicky says: “My table tennis coach noticed slight delays when I was playing, and recommended I go to the opticians to see if everything was as it should be.
“I went for numerous eye tests and blood tests for a year when I was finally diagnosed with Stargardt. Often the disease starts to deteriorate your eyesight as a child but isn’t found until you’re a teenager, which is exactly what happened with me.
“However, I’ve never let my eyesight or my condition affect my life in a negative way. I was diagnosed on a Monday or Tuesday, and that Friday I flew out to the Isle of Man for table tennis camp having just been told I was going to go blind.
“Being 17 years old, getting my diagnosis and surrendering my driving license you’d have thought it would’ve been the end of my world. But my eye sight has been a very positive aspect in my life, because I wouldn’t have had any of the opportunities I have had if I was sighted.”
Table tennis was Vicky’s main sport, and playing this made her realise she was losing her eye sight. After this she played goalball, where she was talent spotted at a paralympic day in Manchester. Her first ever game was an international game against Sweden.
Vicky has always been part of cheerleading, and has carried on doing able-bodied cheerleading, winning nationals and European titles. Coaching cheerleading teams is also a big part of Vicky’s life.
“I’ve always had a love for horse riding and I’ve ridden for Great Britain many times. I was on the road to the Rio Olympic games in 2016 when the qualifications for the Paralympics changed, and as I am not totally blind I could not compete.”
However, Vicky did not let that stop her. The sports she’s taken part in have a lot of core strength and power involved in them, and that’s why she took up Judo.
“I went straight on to the national team when I started, and I took part in a European final where I received a silver medal. I was hoping to compete for my country at the Tokyo Paralympics, but I was unwell and unable to compete. I thought this would be the end of my paralympic career, but with cheerleading being added to the Olympics, I’m hoping to compete in the Paralympic team soon.”
Despite the great successes Vicky has achieved in her life, she still feels as if she’s failed by not making it to a Paralympic game yet.
“I can’t fully retire from sport until I’ve competed at a Paralympic games! It isn’t about winning a medal for me, I just want to compete in a games. I’ve been so close in the past I have four different paralympic kits but never actually worn them.”
Vicky’s story is inspirational, and she says with the athlete fighting mentality within her, she doesn’t let barriers get in her way.
“I’ve never let my eyesight stop me because I’ve always had sport to keep me going. Being a visually impaired person has been very positive to me, I am so proud to be able to show other visually impaired people that you can still lead a very full life without eyesight.
“I’ve always said you don’t need to be able to see the world to participate in it, and I stand by that.”
Vicky is a mum and a domestic abuse survivor, being the face of Manchester International Women’s Day. She is often involved in advocacy work for domestic abuse, and this is an important part of her life.
Vicky started her career as a cheerleading coach, and went on to work in events management for a local council and other companies. She fell into disability support 20 years ago working in disability employability support, and has never looked back.
“I’ve worked with young people with disabilities from hardcore areas with little opportunity, providing one to one support for when they needed it most. I’ve worked for many charities, and currently work for Henshaws.
“I was first connected with Henshaws years ago after I was diagnosed with Stargardt, as Henshaws is the leading organisation that Manchester City Council directs you to as a visually impaired person, often with a new diagnosis. I now work as an Eye Clinic Liaison Officer, providing patient support for visually impaired people like myself.
“I enjoy working with a range of people, providing support in situations that I have often been in myself, and advocating for people’s best interests.”
