ADAM DIBBLE has faced a harrowing year after a mystery virus slowly robbed him of his eyesight. But the Gwent teenager's determination to learn to live with his blindness has made him "a son to be proud of".

Adam's nightmare started in February last year when the 14-year-old woke up at the family home in Monkswood, near Usk, with a suspected migraine. Over the next five weeks, Adam's eyesight slowly deteriorated, leaving him virtually blind.

Despite countless tests, including brain scans, lumbar punctures, and at one stage tests for meningitis, doctors have been unable to explain the cause of Adam's condition.

Adam is the latest Gwent child to be nominated for a Help a South Wales Child award, which will give 21 grants of £2,000 to brave youngsters across South Wales.

Adam was nominated by his mother, Kim Teague, who told the Argus of her pride in her son who has so bravely adapted to his condition.

Mrs Teague said: "Throughout it all, he has been so positive, and a son to be proud of." Mrs Teague, who works as a community nurse for Torfaen council, vividly recalls the night when her son's nightmare started.

She said: "Adam went to bed absolutely fine on February 1 last year and woke up the next day with what appeared to be a terrible migraine.

"Three weeks after the onset of the headaches, Adam lost his sight in one eye, and two weeks later, lost his sight in his other eye. He can now see only colours and shadows."

It was Adam's courage in learning to live with his partial blindness which inspired his mother to nominate him for an award.

During the past year, Adam has learned to touch type with the help of the Royal National Institute of the Blind, and during the past two weeks has started learning Braille.

Mrs Teague is now hoping that an award from the Help a South Wales Child appeal will help him achieve even more.

She said: "At the moment Adam's friends and teachers read everything to him, and also write down his answers. But he has used 'speech synthesised discs' which talk and tell him what he typed onto it.

"He needs a computer with far greater memory to accommodate the discs."

If you want to nominate a child, call us on 01633 777219.