Patient Stories About Geographic Atrophy

Featuring Rob Howden and Diane Marshall

Wednesday, May 31, 2023
1:00 pm EST (Please adjust for your time zone)

Our guest speakers, Rob Howden and Diane Marshall are both currently living with geographic atrophy, the advanced form of dry macular degeneration. They will give a firsthand account of daily living with geographic atrophy and discuss the importance of diagnosis.

Rob lives in Lincolnshire Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. Prior to retirement Rob’s career was in the information technology industry, with the last 10 years as an Account Manager specializing in satellite communications. Dry AMD was diagnosed in March of 2013. At first a nuisance, the AMD has progressed in the last 5 years to seriously impact reading, sporting activities, TV and driving. Without the generous help of friends Rob’s life would be terribly confined.

Diane lives in Southern California close to Santa Monica Beach. She was an English teacher and high school counselor for 38 years and retired in 2007. She was diagnosed with early stage dry macular degeneration in 2001, and her vision remained stable until 2016 when it began to deteriorate and she was diagnosed with geographic atrophy. She no longer drives, and recently gave up playing the piano, photography, and reading books. With the help of accessibility tools, she is able to listen to audiobooks, have text messages and emails read to her by spoken content, and is able to dictate messages on her iPhone and iPad. She is involved with a number of macular degeneration/geographic atrophy groups and has found connection with others dealing with the same issues has been very helpful. With the help of friends and neighbors, who take her to the gym, market, and doctors' appointments, she is able to continue living on her own, and remain independent.

This program is supported in part by educational grants from: