The reason I feel so passionate about creating this safe space is because I’ve experienced, first-hand, the pain of watching my dog lose her eyes.

In June 2025, my partner and I brought home Mango, our newborn Cockapoo puppy. We were and still are) completely in love. Those first few months were filled with all the usual puppy chaos: attempting crate training but giving in to that adorable bundle of fur, cleaning up excited little accidents, endless cuddles, and teaching her how to give paw.

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It wasn’t until October 2025 that my partner noticed Mango was walking into things — the sofa, walls, doors. At first, I brushed it off as typical puppy clumsiness, but after a couple of weeks, it became harder to ignore.

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As the bumps continued, she began refusing to climb the stairs, and we noticed a change in the colour of her eye. That’s when we decided to take her to the vets. We were told Mango was just “daft” — a term meaning silly or clumsy — but deep down, we knew something wasn’t right.

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After pushing for answers, we were seen again and eventually referred to Veterinary Vision for further tests. The team there were incredible, supportive, compassionate, and thorough every step of the way. I can’t recommend them highly enough to anyone facing something similar.

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In November 2025, Mango was diagnosed with multiple congenital conditions: Persistent Hyaloid Artery (PHA), Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous (PHPV), along with a secondary cataract and retinal detachment. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

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Just before Christmas, we returned for a check-up and were given a glimmer of hope. Mango was doing better, and there was a chance she might not need her eyes removed. We held onto that hope tightly.

Then, on 20th January 2026, everything changed.

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I woke up getting ready for work and noticed Mango’s eye had turned blue. I knew instantly something was wrong. I didn’t go to work — I rushed her straight to the vets. That same day, we were told she would need emergency surgery to remove her eyes.

We were heartbroken. In that moment, we didn’t know what life would look like for us as a young family.

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That brings me to today.

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While the care and support we received from Veterinary Vision throughout Mango’s diagnosis and surgery were truly incredible, I felt a strong need to do more. Because sometimes, the most powerful comfort comes from speaking to someone who truly understands what you’re going through.

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Since Mango’s surgery, I’ve connected with so many people around the world through her social media. Together, we’ve supported each other through some very dark moments.

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Through Brave Beyond Sight, I want to create a space where dogs and their owners can find real, lived support from people who have been there, who understand, and who care.