Melanie Chatfield

My name is Melanie Chatfield. I look ‘normal’ to most people, but I have a problem with my eyes which means I can’t see very well. It is called Retinitis Pigmentosa. The cells in my retina - at the back of my eye - are damaged and don’t work. When it is dark I don’t see anything. I can’t see stars or even my hand in front of my face. During the day or when it is light, I can still see a little bit. I can read large writing and walk by myself most of the time.  I also have Macular Oedema, which causes swelling in my eyes. This makes my vision worse like opening your eyes underwater. I can’t catch a ball and sometimes find it hard to recognise my friends.

I grew up on a farm in Melbourne with plenty of horses, cows and dogs to run around with.  I now live in Perth and love going to the beach, listening to music, hanging out with my family and finding lots of ways to have fun.

My dream would be to fly helicopters for a job but you need good eyes for that. Instead, I work in public health, helping people get access to support when they need it.  I love volunteering and am a Director on the board of Retina Australia and Chief Editor for the United Nations Association of Western Australia.

Why do you like to be fit and healthy?

I love to travel and go on adventures. I have been to over 60 countries around the world. I have been camping in Africa, skydiving in Canada, scuba diving in the Galapagos, dancing in Brazil, zip lining in Guatemala, hiking in Nepal, camel riding in Morocco and horse riding in Argentina. I travelled across India in a rickshaw, explored Vietnam on the back of a motorbike, rode a bicycle in Estonia, listened to jazz in New Orleans, and skied in Japan. 

I enjoy being outside, drinking plenty of water and eating healthy food. This helps me to stay happy and feel great. Being active and exercising means I can stay strong and keep up with all the different activities I want to do.

What is the best advice you have been given?

Don’t be afraid to try. It is normal to feel a little worried or scared to tackle something new. You might feel embarrassed that you are going to get it wrong or be bad at it. But if we don’t try, we will never know and we might miss out on something amazing. Often we don’t realise how much we can actually do. Sometimes we just need a little encouragement to help us feel confident.

One way to make it easier is to ask other people for help. Ask someone who may be more experienced if they can help you to learn or show you a few tricks. And don’t worry if you don’t get it right first go. Some of the best laughs happen when you make mistakes. 

What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

I was once stuck in snowstorm right up the top of a mountain in Nepal. We had been walking for many days, it was freezing cold and I was very tired. I wanted to give up and just sit down on a rock and cry. I dreamed about a helicopter coming to rescue me and escape to a nice hot shower.  But I only had one option. I had to stand up and keep walking. I had to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. My friends were there to help. They were very kind and patient and helped to hold my hand when I fell over. I had to take many deep breaths and think positive. I had to believe in myself that I could make it. The snow was very deep and it was hard to move. But I knew that I was strong because I had been training. I kept walking. And walking. Eventually we got down the mountain and back into the sunshine. I was so happy and proud of myself for what I had accomplished.

What is your best tip for motivation, health and fitness

Do a little bit every day. No matter what your goal is, if you do a small amount regularly it can be easier to achieve something than trying to do it all at once. For example I wanted to learn how to salsa dance. It wasn’t possible to go from nothing to expert salsa dancer in one session. So I practiced every day for many years. Now I can remember the steps whenever I hear the music and can’t wait to jump up and dance.

Who do you look up to as a role model & why (either present or past)

I look up to Kurt Fearnley. Kurt is a three-time Paralympic Gold Medallist and has won marathons all around the world. I admire Kurt because he is strong, brave and determined. Kurt uses a wheelchair and has faced many challenges in his life. Once he crawled all the way along the Kokoda track using his arms and his body which is very impressive. I also believe Kurt is smart and kind. He helps others by being encouraging and supportive and stands up for what he believes in.