Nine years ago, teacher and mother of three, Mhairi, was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an incurable eye condition resulting in blindness.

Mhairi said: "I was absolutely devastated. Within a year of my diagnosis, I had stopped working, stopped driving and was no longer going out.

"I sank into depression and struggled to cope with my three young children. Life felt as black as it could be."

Things began to change for Mhairi when she got her guide dog Wanda, a golden Labrador retriever.

She explained: "Wanda literally transformed my life. I began to get my confidence back. I started going out again and I enrolled for a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling Skills at University of Abertay, Dundee.

"I enjoyed doing the Certificate so much that I went on to do a Diploma in Counselling which in turn led on to the Masters which I have recently completed. Wanda was with me every step of the way."



For her research thesis, Mhairi investigated the emotional impact of sight loss and the counselling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted adults. She hopes that they will help inform future policy and practice regarding the emotional needs of visually impaired people.

Mhairi presented the results of her research at the COSCA Counselling Research Conference in Stirling last week and was keynote speaker at the Royal National Institute for the Blind Eye Care Best Practice Conference in October.

Professor John McLeod, programme tutor for counselling at Abertay said: "It has been a pleasure to work with Mhairi over the last three years. She has developed exceptional counselling and research skills, and hopefully will be able to use these to improve the lives of visually impaired people in future."

Mhairi Thurston, and her guide dog Wanda on stage at the graduation ceremony on Friday.