A North East mum is campaigning to change the lives of colour-blind children across the UK after she first realised her son was affected at the age of six.
Marie Difolco remembers the day clearly when she realised her son was colour-blind.
Running into the kitchen clutching a green pen and an orange pen, Marcus, then six years old, asked his mum which of the pens was orange.
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“It came as such a shock,” she recalls.
“I was horrified that it hadn’t been picked up before, especially as he’d had the standard vision screening offered to all children in their first year at primary school.
"As a parent, I’d assumed they tested for all common eye conditions, but they don’t, and in England an optometrist doesn’t always test for it either unless you specifically ask them to.”
Almost a decade on from Marie’s discovery, and an optometrist’s confirmation that Marcus, now 15, is colour blind, they’ve come to realise how much the education system - and the world - relies on him seeing colour in the usual way.
Speaking on national Colour Blind Awareness Day today (Wednesday, September 6), Marie added: “Because teachers aren’t usually trained to understand how colour blindness affects a person, a child might be labelled as naughty or disruptive when the task they are facing is simply inaccessible to them.
“There is no longer any excuse for people saying colour blindness won’t affect a child’s education. There are several tools available now that allow those of us with normal colour vision to see the problems for ourselves.”
Colour blindness – or Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD) - is one of the world’s most common inherited conditions, it affects millions of people regardless of social status, age, race, religion, or sexuality, including American billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, England cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham, singer Rod Stewart, former president Bill Clinton, and former premier league footballer Matt Holland.
Children have not been screened for colour blindness in schools since 2009.
Marie, an author on the subject and passionate activist, is lobbying for change.
She has worked tirelessly with the non-profit organisation Colour Blind Awareness to educate others on the impact colour blindness can have on young people.
She’s also worked closely with Dame Allan’s Schools in Newcastle where Marcus has been a pupil since the age of nine, alongside working with her local MP Liz Twist, who has brought the debate to the House of Commons.
All of Dame Allan’s pupils have been offered screening for CVD and they offer screening to all new entrants.
Alan Hopper, Vice Principal at Dame Allan’s Schools, says their staff are trained to understand and support the needs of colour blind pupils.
He said: “It’s vital that teachers are aware of the limitations of coloured labels, charts or codes used in textbooks or as teaching aids when there’s a colour blind child in the classroom.
"We are aware that without intervention a colour-blind pupil will be at disadvantage right across the curriculum, including in sport.
Marie’s fight for CVD screening to be re-established in schools has the backing of Blaydon MP Liz Twist.
The MP said: “Testing in schools is something that I very much support. There are a lot of things that can be done to help support children with colour blindness, but crucially in the first instance, we need for people to know that they see colours differently.
“Having heard the stories of how much this issue has impacted upon people's lives I believe it is crucial to have a testing system that can help us build the most considerate environment we can.”
In 2018, Marcus was in a 20-minute documentary produced by the national FA, entitled ‘The Colourful Game’ that highlights some of the daily struggles faced by those with colour blindness.
Ms Twist is hopeful of change but appreciates it won’t happen overnight.
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“This is a seismic challenge, to first get people aware of the impact this is having on people’s lives, but then to come up with practical solutions.” she added.
“I’m pleased the Government has shown a willingness to listen. Every person in Parliament who backs a plan to do more for colour blind people gets us one step closer to changing things for everyone.”
Marcus, now a Year 11 pupil at Dame Allan’s Schools, is proud of his Mum.
“My mum’s drive, and the fact my school helps me and other colour blind pupils, has meant I’ve never felt that my condition holds me back here,” says Marcus.
“In an equal world it’s only fair that all young people with colour blindness can access that same level of support.”
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