My Mum is a fantastic grandparent. I'll never forget the look in her eyes as she gazed down at each one of my newborn babies in turn; she looked so happy and proud, I knew I'd done something good! As they've grown she's been there, a calm, gentle presence. She's someone to talk to when I'm too busy, share a book with or a cuddle on the sofa in front of a movie. She takes them to the bookshop every Easter to choose something new to read and she's taught them how to hold a golf club and whack a ball. She walks my youngest back from school if I can't be there and they wander happily home, chatting about his day, enjoying the changing seasons as the year rolls on. It's easy to see how much joy she gets from watching him play and sharing a story and how much pleasure she gets from seeing my teenagers growing into fabulous young people.

But she's been struggling with her sight recently and in a couple of weeks time I will be driving her to our local hospital to have a cataract removed before it gets any worse. If that operation wasn't available so readily she would very quickly lose her independence because she drives herself everywhere. She's a fiercely independent woman with a very busy life of her own and she would hate to have to rely on us to get about.

A few years ago when she was Lady Captain of her golf club she chose Sightsavers as the charity which would be supported throughout her captaincy. We are delighted as a family to be supporting Sightsavers new, ambitious appeal 'Million Miracles' which has launched this week.

Sightsavers are aiming to raise £30million by 2018 in order to deliver 1 million cataract operations in some of the poorest parts of the world. Excitingly this appeal was launched with an innovative live digital storytelling event following a patient in Malawi as he underwent cataract surgery. Mum and I were watching and you can see it here too.

Viewers will meet Mr Winesi March who, due to bilateral cataracts, has been totally blind for two years. He has never seen his grandson Luca, and misses seeing his beautiful wife, Namaleta. He can longer work and provide for his family. In a few months their food stores will run out and they will go hungry as he is unable to work.

It needn't be this way. All it takes is a 5 minute operation that costs £30 to change his life and the lives of his family; to give him back his independence, his livelihood and enable him to see the faces of his loved ones.

Just £30 and 5 minutes can restore the sight of a person – please donate a miracle here and give someone back their life!