Walking to ensure access to sight-saving care

Joanna Hobbs from Wadalba is running and walking 100km this August for her first-ever Fred’s Big Run in honour of her daughter Matilda’s remarkable vision journey.

Matilda’s life was changed forever thanks to sight-saving treatment and now Joanna is determined to give back.

At just six weeks of age Matilda, now 11, was diagnosed with bilateral cataracts.

By the time she was seven weeks old she had already undergone major surgery to remove them, followed by years of treatment including a second operation at age three and contact lenses as a toddler.

Today, thanks to early intervention, Matilda enjoys full sight, with glasses, and lives an active, happy life, a gift her family never takes for granted.

For Joanna, taking part in Fred’s Big Run is about more than fitness.

It’s about ensuring other children and families around the world can access the same sight-saving care.

She’s aiming to raise $500 by rallying friends, family and her local community.

Joanna now has five children, and Matilda was her second.

Her condition was rare and completely unexpected.

“It was very surprising,” she said.

“She was about six weeks old when I noticed her pupils looked cloudy.

“I waited for my husband to get home and he could see it as well.

‘We went to the doctors and then we were sent straight to Westmead Children’s Hospital.”

While Matilda still has annual check-ups at the hospital, life is very normal for her thanks to the sight-saving treatment.

Fred’s Big Run is The Fred Hollows Foundation’s signature virtual fitness challenge, where Australians walk, run or ride throughout August to raise funds and help end avoidable blindness.

So far this year, more than 4,100 participants have signed up, raising close to $300,000 as The Foundation pushes toward its fundraising goal of $1M.

Funds raised will support The Foundation to help deliver sight-saving surgeries, train local health workers, and provide vital equipment in over 25 countries. 

Since its launch in 2020, Fred’s Big Run has seen more than 30,000 participants run 3.4 million kilometres and raise nearly $8M for the Foundation.