About Us

Michael's story – producer and presenter of The Early Edition on Insight Radio

Summary: How Michael came to work at Insight Radio.

• Early years
• Rehabilitation and new skills
• Working at Insight Radio
• About Insight Radio

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Early years

Michael was brought up in Kilwinning, Ayrshire on the South West Coast of Scotland.

When Michael was four he started to wear glasses. Aged 7, Michael realised that he had lost his sight fully in his left eye but he was too scared to tell his parents. Eventually a routine optician’s appointment revealed that he had a rare genetic condition known as Stickler’s syndrome. Despite an operation, his retina had completely detached leaving Michael blind in his left eye.

When Michael was fifteen, his right retina started detaching again and a more serious operation followed. When Michael was 23 he had an operation to remove a cataract. Unfortunately he awoke to discover that his eye had haemorrhaged and he was left totally blind.

Rehabilitation and new skills

Michael was referred to an RNIB rehabilitation centre where he learned new skills which helped him to become more independent. He was taught how to touch type and learned the screen reader JAWS, which helped him to use a computer again.

Despite gaining these skills it took him four years to get his first job as a researcher for the BBC Radio news programme Good Morning Scotland. When he was sighted he had never been out of work. After his four month placement ended, he was unemployed for a further year and a half. Had it not been for Insight Radio, Michael would probably still be at home and as he says “on the scrapheap.”

Working at Insight Radio

The job at Insight Radio has given Michael a sense of purpose again and greatly improved his confidence.

He says: “I have interviewed a wide variety of people including politicians, celebrities and eminent eye surgeons. But the people I want to make a difference to most are the ordinary blind and partially sighted people who are facing challenges everyday in getting the latest eye treatment, job opportunities or facing discrimination. Insight Radio helps to highlight these issues and demonstrates to other blind and partially sighted people that there is a station that will listen and hopefully help to change the system.”

“Working for Insight Radio has increased my confidence and skills and it’s great to be working for a radio station that reduces isolation and helps to create a sense of community for blind and partially sighted people.”

About Insight Radio

Insight Radio is the exciting new radio station from RNIB, broadcasting 24 hours a day. Staffed by a team of blind and partially sighted people, the Sony Award winning station communicates the needs, interests and aspirations of blind and partially sighted people throughout the UK.

Find out more about Insight Radio.

Content author: info@insightradio.co.uk

Last updated: 04/04/2008 13:00