AT ONLY 19 years old, bubbly teenager Sue Rowen knew she would one day go blind.
"My first reaction was one of shock and complete despair – no one could tell me when I was going to go blind.
"The day I did go blind – well I knew it was coming – but it was still a very difficult bridge to cross," said Sue.
After contracting the inherent Retinitis Pigmentosa disease as a youngster, the now 53-year-old did not descend into complete darkness until four years ago.
Yet knowing the time was looming ever closer, she teamed up with her guide dog Layla.
Sue, now an engagement officer for Guide Dogs, proudly strolled side-by-side with her trusty companion at the 83-year-old charity's first ever Go Walkies Fun Day at Hylands Park in Chelmsford on Sunday.
"Layla offers me a unique lifestyle and she is not only a brilliant dog that gets me out and about but she is, of course, a great companion. It's also very sociable."
More than 1,000 people visited the event, which boasted inflatables, dog-lover Debbie Douglas from The Only Way Is Essex TV show, a sensory tunnel, two Miss Teen Commonwealth International princesses, a sponsored walk and various pooch-related stalls.
Speaking to mobility team leader and event co-organiser Karen Mumford, she said the aim of Sunday was to tell the guide dog story.
Guide Dogs have about 5,000 users nationwide – yet there are about two million registered blind.
The canines require over a year's worth of training and cost the charity about £50,000 to leave in the hands of a client. Yet the charity asks for just a minimum 50p donation from the user.
Karen said: "The reason we do that is because we don't want to prejudice anyone or discriminate in any way."
Miss Teen Commonwealth International princess Sasha Wright said: "It's been a great event and a great charity and it's a really fun day out."
Guide Dogs ambassador and former TOWIE star Debbie Douglas, an animal enthusiast, said she felt closer to the charity after experiencing the dogs first hand.
After she was blindfolded and taken for a walk by trusty canine 'Delphi', she added: "I fully trusted Delphi whilst walking around but being blindfolded felt peculiar and made me very emotional."
