Every day 5 babies are born deaf in the UK. 

Fundraise to help more children like Henry

Adam Freeman and Kayleigh Simms were devastated to learn that that their son Henry was profoundly deaf when he was just one day old.  Kayleigh didn’t tell anyone for over 2 months because she found this news so hard to come to terms with. Thanks to the NDCS who offered a lifeline and some hope, Kayleigh began to interact with other parents in the same position and learnt that with the right support deaf children can do anything that other children can do.

Most deaf babies like Henry are born to parents with no experience of deafness and have no idea who to turn to for advice and guidance, the NDCS were able to help Adam and Kayleigh understand and believe that Henry still had a bright future ahead of him. The NDCS fund sign language courses to teach parents and young children how to sign. Henry has taken to sign so well that he now has over 25 signs he can make and understand, removing the frustrations of being unable to communicate. For a child with no hearing in a silent world, sign gives them the ability to communicate with the world around them.

In recent months, Henry has undergone life changing surgery and now has Cochlear Implants allowing him to hear for the first time – a momentous step in his progress! For the first time he’s able to hear his mum call his name, read him a story and tell him that she loves him. Despite this, Henry will always be deaf and Adam and Kayleigh will continue teaching him sign with the hope he will be bilingual.

Being in the tech industry, we understand the incredible difference that technology can make in our world and especially for these children, technology offers a second chance. It means that as adults the only thing deaf people can't do is fight on the front line and become a commercial pilot and so we are on a mission to ensure that more children are given those chances in life.

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