Written By You: Steve Bate, Losing Your Sight From the Age of 34
“There’s only one thing worse than being blind. Having sight, but no vision. ”
Steve Bate is a New Zealand-British Paralympian athlete based in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, UK. At the age of 34, he was told he had a degenerative eye disease that meant he would eventually lose his sight altogether. This is his story of RESILIENCE and how a positive mindset can turn a pretty dark situation into a gold medal winning legacy.
Going through painful eye tests sucked. I had thin metal measuring devices stuck down my lower eyelids, and kindly asked to not blink while bright flashing imagines were flashed in front of me in a dark room. Something I’ll happily avoid in the future. I do look a little Star Wars though. ⓒ Steve Bate
At the age of 34, I was told I was losing my sight. At the time I was trying to become an Alpine Guide, which meant everything to me. I’d worked my ass off for years going through the prolonged process of gaining climbing qualifications and slowly working my way up the ranks, when suddenly this degenerative eye condition hit me like a tonne of bricks.
As a result of my diagnosis I lost my drivers licence and with that most of my confidence at that time. I thought my life, as I knew it, was over. The specialist told me that in the worst case scenario I would be blind in 4 years! It was a pretty hard thing to come to terms with for a young bloke, with a dream of living in the mountains.
With the help of family and friends, I slowly opened up to the fact I needed help to move forward. The people around me were key in rebuilding my life, but it took me about 6 months to allow that to happen, as I was too proud to ask for help. I didn’t want to acknowledge I had this problem, which made it hard to move forward at the time. Once I eventually did, my life changed for the better. Things became more positive and I slowly started to venture out and live again, small step after small step.
Lesson #1: Life is short. Don’t let anything stop you from following your dreams.
I figured out some lifetime achievements I wanted to accomplish, one of them being a solo attempt of El Capitan in Yosemite, USA. That dream became a reality and I became the first visually impaired person to solo up the granite rock face.
Bikes became a crucial part of my journey after losing my drivers licence. They became my vehicle of freedom, a way to get to work and engage with family and friends. It was the El Capitan connection with Paralympian cyclist Karen Darke that saw me be encouraged to join the British Cycling’s Paralympic Development Programme. As I had to turn back on my climbing dreams, I needed something else to channel my energy into - and it turns out I can turn a pedal and suffer quite well. I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams that bikes would eventually become my career. Whilst these days in my free time I may not be climbing in the mountains as much as I would like, I can still pedal through them, and I’ll take that.
It’s now been 10 years since my diagnosis, I’m incredibly fortunate to still have some sight, but for how much longer I have no idea (Steve currently only retains 10% of his sight, Ed.). But what I do know, is that while I can still see, I have to make the most of every day.
To anyone using their bike as medicine I’d say that when the going is hard, know that it will get easier. And when the going is good, enjoy it, however remain mindful it perhaps won’t always be this good, so really take in the moment. I’d also say to try not to let your emotions get the better of you (easily said sometimes, I know!) but instead never to be afraid to laugh at a hopeless situation you find yourself in. Often humouring it all is the thing that stops me crying.
Lesson #2: Almost anything can be achieved if you are willing to work hard.
Steve - not one for taking himself too seriously…
If I had to choose one smile inducing bike it’d be my fat bike, without a doubt. It's one of those mountain bikes with massive big tyres on it, that look like they should be on a motorbike or I’ve pumped too much air into them, a common reaction from other trail users. Every time I ride the thing, I can’t help but smile. It’s like you’ve put on big silly clown shoes and walking around for a laugh.
My parting thoughts… I’m currently reading the book “The Subtle Art of not giving a Fu*k!” And there is a line in that which stands out and will stick like the quote above I think.
Lesson #3: “We only have so many 'f*cks to give', so why waste them on pointless shi*t!”
Steve is now a full time pro cyclist and is currently busy preparing for the 2022 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Saint-Quentin en Yvelines
Follow Steve’s journey over on Instagram, @stevebatembe