“I couldn’t cross the street, couldn’t find the traffic lights, and basically couldn’t leave my house,” says Andrew. “When I got my Guide Dog, Tatum, everything changed.”

Andrew was born with a condition called Rod-cone dystrophy Dystrophy, and growing up, he was a normal kid. He loved to ride his bike, play and fight with his older brother, go to school and eventually to university.

However, when Andrew began working in the city, his eyesight started to deteriorate. “I didn’t pay much attention to it at first, and with my life being so busy, I didn’t do much about it,” said Andrew. “I just kept enlarging the font on my video magnifier, and making things more accessible for myself as time went on.”

Even when Andrew was at home during the COVID-19 lockdowns, he didn’t realise that the little sight he had left had completely disappeared. It was when the lockdown lifted, his kids went back to school and wife went back to work that Andrew found himself unable to leave the home that he’s lived in for 20 years without getting lost. “I couldn’t find my way back again, and that’s when I accepted that this was my life and I wasn’t going to do anything else ever again.”

Then, Andrew contacted Guide Dogs.

“After a bit of time feeling sorry for myself, I decided to apply for a Guide Dog with one goal in mind; I wanted to walk my kids to school and pick them up,” says Andrew.

Tatum joined Andrew’s family shortly after he applied and within three weeks of training, Andrew achieved his goal. So, he thought, what else could he do?

Now, Andrew and Tatum catch the train and the metro to work, do the shopping, take the kids to their activities and visit family and friends. Andrew works as a Lived Experience Presenter for Guide Dogs and tells his story to donors and supporters at different events. As well as this role, Andrew has recently joined the Guide Dogs Engagement Team, where he manages supporter donations and details.

Sharing his story with supporters over the phone after they donate or make a change to their details truly is a full circle moment for Andrew and each supporter. “When I thank them for their donation at the end of our phone call and mention that I’m blind myself and have a Guide Dog, their whole tone changes. They are super grateful and always love to learn that their money is going to help people like me to work, receive services and be matched with Guide Dogs,” says Andrew.

Andrew and Tatum are a well-oiled pair who complement each other. Tatum is an outgoing and confident dog with lots of energy. She loves to play with Andrew’s kids and her dog friends in the Guide Dogs office. She also loves to work. “When she sees me getting out her harness and putting on my backpack, she can’t contain her excitement. She really can’t wait to get out and work.”

Andrew is also a very active dad, and when he picks his kids up from school, Tatum spots them getting out of class and notifies Andrew that they’re ready to go. With a great balance of family life, work, activities and moving around the local community and beyond, Andrew and Tatum continue to live life their way.

Thanks to our supporters, people with low vision or blindness like Andrew can enjoy life again and continue to receive services so they can live with more independence and freedom