A blind man from Surrey is undertaking a remarkable journey to raise awareness about the blood pressure condition that deprived him of his eyesight.

During December, Steve Rebus, 45, from Surrey will be taking 20,000 steps everyday for 24 days.

He is doing so to raise money and awareness for the UK’s leading blood pressure charity, Blood Pressure UK, and will complete some 251 miles by the time he is finished.

The challenge is of deep significance for Steve, who lost his sight aged just 24 due to the adverse impact of blood pressure on his vision.

"I decided it was time to get off the side lines again," Steve said.

The Surrey man became blind back in 2000. He suffered brain haemorrhages or a bleed on the brain that were caused directly by his high blood pressure.

"I was repairing cars in a body shop, when I realised I couldn’t read a number plate.

"I didn’t think much of it but then the headaches started and eventually I couldn’t make it up the stairs," Steve said, recalling the moment he realised something was seriously wrong.

"One morning I woke up and could barely move. My blood pressure in hospital was 280/220mmHg."

Surrey Comet: Steve completing one of 24 days walking 20,000 steps. Steve completing one of 24 days walking 20,000 steps.

High blood pressure is not typically associated with blindness by many of us, but Steve's case indicates how interrelated they can be, and how they can impact one at any age.

In his case, the bleeding damaged his optic nerve and knocked out his central vision, leaving him with only blurry peripheral vision.

He’s been on blood pressure medicines ever since, learning to take care of his health day by day after even the most daily tasks became arduous at best.

"When you lose your sight, you lose everything you can do. You can’t even make a cup of tea. I went from playing football and going to the gym to not able to exercise," Steve said.

With his typical routine for staying in shape torpedoed by the diagnosis, Steve had to relearn keeping himself healthy by paying closer attention to his diet and exercising in ways that correlate with his blindness, and walking is a big part of that.

On the blog that he is writing alongside the challenge, Steve pointed out that the low blood pressure medication he needs making staying in shape even more of a challenge that it otherwise might be:

"I’m arming myself with the knowledge about the right nutrition, exercise and learning how, as a blind man, I can break free from what feels like inescapable immobility... I’ve never felt better and more energised…despite being on beta-blockers that slow me down but help keep my blood pressure low enough not to cause more health problems and further sight loss."

According to Blood Pressure UK, high blood pressure is responsible for "more than half of all strokes and heart attacks in the UK" and is the"third biggest cause of disease, leading to kidney disease, vascular dementia and mobility problems", costing the NHS £2.1 billion every year.

To read more and donate to Steve's fundraising efforts, click here