Help Tiggy and her super ears to listen and speak via AVUK

Our beautiful baby girl, Tiggy was born in January 2024 via emergency c section weighing a mighty 6lb 9oz! We spent a few days in hospital and Tiggy failed her newborn hearing screening, not to worry we thought as our eldest daughter initially failed hers due to fluid in the ear from her c-section. Tiggy was then referred for an ABR test two weeks later, which she also failed. Then in late February Tiggy was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. This came as quite a shock as we have no known hearing loss on either sides of the family. We worried what the future may hold for our baby girl.

Tiggy was then referred to Guys & St Thomas's for cochlear implants, this process is a long assesment which confirmed Tiggy is indeed profoundly deaf. During this time as a family we have been learning sign language to communicate with Tiggy.

On November 5th, we found out Tiggy is an eligible candidate for bi-lateral implants and in January 2025 had the 6 hour life changing operation.

Tiggy is responding well to her new found sound, and thank to kind donations has been able to begin her Auditory Verbal Therapy.

So why are we raising money?

When we found out about Tiggys hearing loss, we did endless research about speech and language therapy to aid our daughter and give her the very best opportunities in the hearing world we live in. Auditory Verbal Therapy came up in a search one day, this ground breaking programme is a vital tool to further a deaf childs' concept of sound. 80% of children who attend AVUK for at least two years will have age appropriate language, this rises to 97% if the child has no additional needs. As Tiggy is profoundly deaf, sound may be scary to start- AVUK can help to let Tiggy not only understand but love sound.

We went and met with AVUK to discuss if this would be a suitable option for Tiggy.

It absolutely is, however there is no funding via the NHS. The NHS offer 6 speech and language appointments, a successful Auditory Verbal approach is bi-monthly for an average of three years, this is over ten times the amount given via the team at the hospital. No surprise this comes at a cost! With only 30 trained therapist in the UK, this specialised therapy is circa £6000 per annum. After meeting with children and parents who have completed AV, it really is an astonishing programme. We have met with one family whose daughter(amazingly goes to the same school as my eldest child!) who uses a cochlear implant and is thriving academically and even plays the piano! Without AV, this inspirational little girls mother feels this would not of been possible.

Our goal is to help Tiggy find her voice, and have equal opportunities like her hearing peers.

With the increased cost of living plus the expense of travelling to and from London, we would welcome any support.

So what are we going to do?

Walk 26.2 miles on the Clarendon Way Walk, in April!

Please share, like and lets get Tiggys voice heard!

If you can donate, it would be mean the world to our family.