Deaf Awareness Week, 2nd-8th May 2023

Being deaf brings unique challenges that not everyone will experience. Our Jill is a Support Worker here at Fife Gingerbread and a devoted Granny to Cally – the sunshine in her life. Jill wanted to share her family’s story with Fife Gingerbread supporters and friends.

It is estimated that approximately 3,174 children currently have hearing loss in Scotland. Cally is one of them……

Cally’s Story

Cally was born in May 2020 and Doctor’s suspected before she left the hospital that there could be problems with her hearing. After tests it was discovered when she was two weeks old that she was profoundly deaf and would need hearing aids throughout her life. By four weeks old Cally had hearing aids fitted. As a baby she would pull them out by accident, as she got older, she would constantly pull them out all day, every day. It was a battle of wills for her family to keep them in her ears, as without them she would never hear or learn to talk.

Her mum and dad attended countless appointments with audiology, speech and language therapy and hospitals for further tests, all whilst holding down full-time jobs and battling the difficulties of having a young child who couldn’t hear. Cally doesn’t hear cars coming, or her name called to warn her of danger. She doesn’t hear the warning growl of an a dog who is bored with her wanting to play and you can’t explain that she can’t have something or can have something later…..Cally just see’s ‘no’. Small things, but it makes life with a toddler just that bit more challenging.

At the end of 2022, at two and a half, it was discovered that Cally had lost what little hearing she did have and was referred to Kilmarnock Hospital to assess her suitability for cochlear implants.

In February of this year Cally was admitted for her surgery. It was six hours long and she was a bit miserable for a day, but after that there was no stopping her!

On the 20th of March, Cally’s implants were switched on and it was obvious she could hear straight away! It was an exciting and emotional day for the whole family. She was at the start of a big adventure!

Cally still has lots of appointments to attend and sees a speech and language therapist every two weeks, as while she can hear, she doesn’t know what these noises that she hears mean, and she still has a long road ahead. However, she’s a determined wee girl and we’re sure she’ll be talking in no time!

To celebrate Deaf Awareness week, Gingey wanted to learn some sign language. So here’s Gingey and a couple for friends signing in Makaton….for anyone hearing or hearing impaired that may be struggling just now, here’s your ‘Fight Song’  with love from all at Gingerbread!