From Setback to Strength: Caroline’s Story Three Years On
In honour of Deafblind Awareness Week 2026 (22-28 June), former ECL Sensory customer, Caroline Biddle (nee Mason) shares an update on how her life has developed since her first encounter with ECL’s Sensory Service back in 2023.
Timed to honour the birthday of the pioneering American author and humanitarian Helen Keller, Deafblind Awareness Week aims to raise awareness and challenge misconceptions about deafblindness, which is why Caroline, now an ECL Lived Experience Ambassador, felt it important to share how her life has changed.
Caroline lives with deafblindness. This means she has both sight and hearing loss, which affects how she communicates, moves around, and stays safe. But Caroline is determined and continues to live her life fully.
Caroline received support from ECL’s Sensory Rehabilitation service in 2023, to help her regain her independence after losing her hearing and much of her sight. Three years later, her life is very different. There have been big challenges as well as many moments of joy, strength, and hope.
In the last few years Caroline has got married, moved home, become a volunteer sensory ambassador, in addition to overcoming some significant health problems.
In April 2025, Caroline got engaged to her partner Jamie. The very next day, she had a stroke caused by a bleed on her brain. It was a frightening time. Caroline lost the use of the right side of her body for six weeks. She has now recovered well, but her memory and co-ordination are still not perfect.
Caroline said:
“I’m much better now, but it was very scary. I’ve had a lot of time in and out of hospital over the last 18 months, with problems with balance and pressure behind my eyes. Thankfully, things are under control now.”
Despite this, Caroline and Jamie went on to marry in September 2025, a happy moment in a very tough year.
Over the last three years Caroline’s sight has worsened. She has just 3 percent vision in her right eye and no vision in her left. She can only see light, dark and shadows, and she is now registered blind.
Her hearing has also changed - she now has a second cochlear implant. The implants help her hear by sending sound directly to her brain by stimulating the auditory nerve. With two implants she hears clearly, however without them she can’t hear at all. Caroline became eligible for the second implant as a direct result of the deterioration of her vision. She said: “It’s crazy, I had to lose my sight to gain my ears but that’s how it goes.”
The implants help her stay connected. She can stream phone calls and music straight to them. But there are challenges too. She said: “In busy places, all the noise gets loud and mixed up. It can feel overwhelming and very tiring.”
Moving house is a big thing for anyone, but when you’re blind it has a massive impact. You have to learn where everything is again. It takes a while to be able to move around confidently.
Caroline Biddle
Caroline’s health and changing sight have affected her confidence, especially after moving home. In October 2025, she moved from Clacton, where she had lived for 18 years, to a bungalow in Brightlingsea after falling down the stairs in her old house. With support from services including Peabody Housing Association, Essex Fire and Rescue and Family Solutions, she was able to get a safer home that was all on ground level.
Moving has been positive, but also difficult.
“Moving house is a big thing for anyone, but when you’re blind it has a massive impact.” Caroline explained.
“You have to learn where everything is again. It takes a while to be able to move around confidently and do things for yourself. Now at home I feel confident. With help I can cook, clean and manage daily tasks. But outside is harder for me.”
Back in 2023, with support from ECL’s Sensory Service, Caroline had become very independent. Through one-to-one rehabilitation, including cane training and confidence building Caroline could travel around Clacton on her own, even getting the bus into town. Now, in a new place and with less vision, she feels unsure about going out alone.
So, she has enlisted the help of her former ECL Rehabilitation Worker, Gill Jones to help her become more familiar with her new surroundings so that she can once again get out and about independently using her cane, which Caroline affectionately calls Candy.
I’ve asked Gill from ECL to help me again. I want to rebuild my confidence and get out on my own in Brightlingsea.
Caroline’s journey has not just been about receiving support; she now gives back too.
She is a ‘Lived Experience’ Ambassador for ECL’s Sensory Service. Sharing her own experiences as part of ECL’s CPD accredited sensory awareness training. The training supports businesses and organisation to be more inclusive, offering advice on how to make their services and buildings more accessible for people with sensory impairments. The ‘lived experience’ segment of these courses is a vital tool in deepening people’s understanding of the challenges that people with sensory disabilities face.
“I love it,” Caroline said, “I get really nervous before I start my presentation, but once I’m talking, I enjoy it so much. It’s lovely to share my story.”
Caroline speaks to groups such as healthcare staff and carers. She explains her life, her challenges, and what people can do to help.
One of her key messages is simple: don’t make assumptions.
She said: “People make so many assumptions about sensory disabilities when in reality everyone’s situation is unique to them. I’ve have had people say to me ‘you don’t look deafblind.’ What does that even mean?! Everyone’s different and often people’s sensory disabilities aren’t immediately obvious if you don’t know that person.”
She also shares everyday frustrations too - like people not looking where they’re going.
She explains: “I can’t see you, but you can see me! When I’m out, people often walk into me because they don’t see me, mainly because they’re looking at their phones and not where they are going! It’s a frequent problem that is a real bug bear for me - I tap them with my cane, Candy!”
Caroline also finds it difficult when people touch her without warning.
“I know they’re trying to help, but it makes me jump. It’s better to ask first, so I know someone is there.”
Through her talks, Caroline helps people understand how small changes can make a big difference - like speaking clearly, being patient, and simply being aware of others.
People living with Deafblindness can still live normal lives. I won’t lie, it’s not always easy, but we can do the same things as anyone else - just in a different way.
Caroline's message for Deafblind Awareness Week is clear:
“Deafblindness is a spectrum. Everyone is different. Some people may have a little sight or hearing, others may not. Just ask how you can help, it’s more respectful than just making an assumption about them.”
She adds: “People living with Deafblindness can still live normal lives. I won’t lie, it’s not always easy, but we can do the same things as anyone else - just in a different way.”
Looking ahead, Caroline has simple but powerful goals: to build her confidence, regain her independence, explore Brightlingsea on her own, and spend more time as an ambassador.
Caroline’s story shows that with the right support, determination and understanding, people living with deafblindness can continue to live full and meaningful lives.
About ECL’s Sensory Service
ECL’s sensory service supports people who are partially sighted, blind, hard of hearing, deaf or deafblind to live independently. It is the first point of contact for everyone needing sensory support in Essex and provides tailored rehabilitation and one to one specialist support.
The expert sensory team assess what assistance each individual needs to live safely; creating personalised support plans to teach people how to live independently that include elements such as cane training, travel and safety around the home.
ECL also provides help with accessing health appointments and gaining access to relevant guidance, information and advice. Where appropriate, the team also signpost people to other organisations that can provide additional assistance. ECL manages all registrations for sight and hearing support on behalf of Essex County Council.