I’d like to share with you the story behind why With Ease exists… because at the heart of it all, it began with my mum.

In 2019, my mum was diagnosed with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare genetic eye disorder that causes chronic and progressive retinal degeneration. In 2021, she was diagnosed with another rare genetic condition called Usher Syndrome which is also a progressive condition, affecting both her sight and her hearing. After receiving her diagnoses, her world began to change, and she had to start adapting to a future she never asked for.

As her vision continued to deteriorate, one of the most confronting changes was learning to use a mobility cane. At a rapid pace, her sight worsened to the point where she was registered as legally blind, with only 5% of her vision remaining. She realised using her cane was no longer optional, it was essential.

But my mum hated using her cane.

To her, it felt like a reminder of the things she had lost. She struggled to connect to something she never imagined having to rely on. On top of that, she began to notice the way people reacted to her while using it... the stares, the awkward glances, and sometimes even unprovoked comments. Slowly, those moments chipped away at her confidence.

In 2024, my family and I booked tickets to a charity ball in support of Usher Syndrome. Before the event, my mum asked me if there was anything I could do to her cane to “jazz it up.” But beneath her light-hearted request, I knew what she was really asking for... a way to reclaim some of the confidence she'd lost along the way. 

The moment I got my hands on that cane, I knew I’d opened a door.

What was once a standard, generic mobility cane was transformed into something entirely different. Wrapped in resin rhinestones that shimmered in both movement and stillness, it became the most glittery, jaw-droppingly beautiful cane we’d ever seen.

I will never forget my mum’s reaction the first time she saw it, the excitement, the emotion, the relief.

From that moment on, the way people interacted with her began to change. People would stop her in the street just to say, “Oh my gosh, I love your cane!” What once felt like a symbol of challenge became something else entirely. But more importantly, my mum’s confidence returned, tenfold.

She became known as “the woman with the glittery cane”.

Watching the impact that single transformation had on her life sparked one overwhelming thought in my mind: how many people could this help?

And that question is what brought us here.

So, with a very proud heart, I welcome you to With Ease.