DIXON Amy

Classification
PTVI (World Triathlon, 25 Jun 2021)

Type of Impairment
Vision impairment (triathlete.com, 18 Aug 2021; amydixonusa.com, 01 Sep 2016)

Origin of Impairment
Acquired (triathlete.com, 18 Aug 2021; sandiegouniontribune.com, 22 Feb 2016)

Impairment Details
At age 22 she was diagnosed with multifocal choroiditis [MFC], an inflammatory disorder of the eye, and has lost 98% of her vision. Her condition is linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which she had from age 10. (sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Jul 2021, 22 Feb 2016; amydixonusa.com, Sep 2016; runnersworld.com, 14 May 2020)

Guide
Kirsten Sass (Instagram profile, 17 Aug 2021; sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Jul 2021)

General
HEALTH ISSUES IN 2020
In 2020 she had shoulder surgery that resulted in multiple blood clots in her lungs. In December that year she was taken into intensive care due to the blood clots and a pulmonary infarction. Complications resulting from medication then led to her gaining 18 kilograms of weight in fluid. "One thing after another kept happening and I was like, 'Is this a sign that I'm too old for this? That I should retire? That my body is just telling me no?' It's frustrating because a year ago [speaking in mid-2021] I would definitely say I was a medal contender [for Tokyo 2020] and that has dramatically changed. I'm probably 15% off of where I was, which is a huge amount. But to even have made it there considering the year I've had, and considering that my doctors are even letting me race is really something to be grateful for. Honestly, I've had 35 surgeries on my eyes, and I've had unbelievable excruciating pain associated with that and also with the surgeries that I had this last year, I had three surgeries this past year, and I lived on narcotic pain meds for months because of my shoulder. I know that I can outlast and endure more pain than any of the girls that I'm racing against." (thecoastnews.com, 23 Jul 2021; ctinsider.com, 21 Aug 2021)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She is co-founder and president of Glaucoma Eyes International, which provides patient support. She also delivers vision patient education for the Shiley Eye Institute in San Diego, CA, United States of America. In 2017 she founded 'No Sight No Limits', a week-long camp for aspiring visually impaired triathletes that is held each year in Encinitas, CA, United States of America. "I really love using my platform as a Paralympic athlete and national champion to inspire people with vision loss that they can lead very full lives. My life is better after I lost my vision than it was before." (triathlon.org, 01 Mar 2021; sandiegouniontribune.com, 16 Jul 2021; Facebook profile, 26 Aug 2021; thecoastnews.com, 23 Jul 2021)