Sponsoring James Carricks
James Carrick is a psychology graduate living with advanced Choroideremia, a rare degenerative eye condition. After turning his own grief into purpose, he earned four scholarships, completed a Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Waikato, and an Honours degree at the University of Auckland. Today, James is an active advocate through Retina NZ and My Life My Voice, and serves as Co-Chapter Lead of Achilles Hamilton, where he both runs and supports others to run freely without barriers.
He is preparing to take on the 2025 New York Marathon with Achilles, running not only for himself but for a wider community of people living with vision loss.
James Carrick lives with advanced Choroideremia, a rare inherited eye condition. After facing the challenges of vision loss, he found new purpose through study, completing a Bachelor of Psychology at Waikato and an Honours degree at Auckland, supported by four scholarships along the way.
He also qualified for Golden Key Honours recognition. Beyond academia, James contributes as a committee member at Retina NZ and writes funding applications for My Life My Voice, supporting disabled voices across Aotearoa. In 2023, he discovered Achilles, an organisation that gave him the freedom to run without fear, and he now serves as Co-Chapter Lead in Hamilton. With Achilles’ support, James is training to compete in the 2025 New York Marathon, a milestone that symbolises both resilience and community. Sponsorship from Carricks is another act of kindness that fuels his determination to keep moving forward.
James Carrick is living with advanced Choroideremia, a degenerative eye condition that gradually reduces vision. After a difficult period of adjustment, a turning point came when he read a book on grief and chose to embrace the positives of his sight loss. He went on to study psychology, completing a Bachelor’s degree at Waikato and an Honours at Auckland, earning four scholarships and qualifying for Golden Key recognition. His journey also opened doors to new communities, including Retina NZ and My Life My Voice, where he advocates for and supports others navigating disability.
In 2023, James joined Achilles after being introduced at a local run, an experience he describes as life-changing—running freely without fear for the first time. Today, he is not only an Achilles athlete but also Co-Chapter Lead in Hamilton, helping others experience that same freedom. This year, James will take on the New York Marathon with Achilles, a challenge that represents resilience, community, and the simple joy of running.
Sponsorship from Carricks gives him the strength to push through every moment when his body wants to stop, reminding him he is never running alone.
