Patient writes Christmas letter to the ophthalmologist who helped her navigate AMD

A Northwich woman has thanked Manchester Royal Eye Hospital (MREH) staff a decade after her diagnosis with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Maria Moseley, 75, thanked consultant ophthalmologist, Romi Chhabra, for the support she has provided over the past decade.

“Ms Chhabra consoled me through the tears as the realisation of the seriousness of my condition threatened to overwhelm me, and she understood the impact AMD has not only had on me, but my family and friends,” she shared.

The sight-saving treatment Moseley received at MREH has enabled her to organise trips for more than 1700 unwell children to Lapland between 1998 and 2018 as a founder of the North West branch of the When You Wish Upon a Star charity.

“The support I’ve had means that I could keep planning the trips for the children. It’s not just changed my life - it’s also helped so many children,” Moseley said.

Maintaining her vision has also enabled Moseley to continue her hobby of making greeting cards for friends and family.

She has changed the card designs over the years to make them simpler as her vision has become more limited.

“I’ve kept it as a hobby for a decade which would not have been possible if I hadn’t received the on-going treatment at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital team,” Moseley said.

Romi Chhabra, of Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, shared: “We were so pleased to have received this letter - what a magnificent woman Maria is in so many ways. We made her wish come true by keeping her eyesight going over the last 10 years, while Maria made the trip of a lifetime come true for so many children.”

Main image: Maria Moseley, 75, at work creating festive greeting cards.