Beauty queen's dream fulfilled... before going blind

Updated on: 14 December,2009 08:13 AM IST |
Agencies |

Courageous Nicola Thomas has achieved her dream of becoming a beauty queen before she goes blind.

Courageous Nicola Thomas has achieved her dream of becoming a beauty queenu00a0before she goes blind.

Nicola (23) is determined to live life to the fullest after being hit by a rare eye disorder which will rob her of her sight.

For years, friends told the admin assistant she should enter a beauty pageant and this year she finally did it.

Brunette Nicola entered the annual contest in her hometown of Caerphilly, South Wales.

And she was amazed when she won the title, which qualifies her to take part in Miss Wales next summer.

"It was something I always wanted to do and I couldn't believe it when they called out my name," she said. "I was crying and so emotional."

Nicola suffers from Devic's disease, a disorder in which the immune system attacks optic nerves. She has already lost the sight in her left eye.
u00a0
She first noticed her vision was blurred while watching TV at home. "It was frightening," she said. "One minute I was living a normal life, the next I was facing life in darkness.

I was used to going out every weekend and dancing with the girls. I'm usually so independent but I was losing my confidence.

I felt useless and cried a lot through frustration," she added. "I'm doing everything I can to make the most of life while I can see. I'm going to cram my life so full that, by the time I go blind, I will have enough memories."