Earlier this year we got a shock as a family when my mum lost her hearing. She has suffered with bad hearing and has been a hearing aid wearer for many years, but the complete loss of her hearing took us all by surprise. 

With no explanation as to how or why, she faced a difficult challenge that many others face each year, and something that I do not think many people know about. Dealing without one of your senses is a life-changing experience which can leave you feeling isolated, frustrated and upset. Daily tasks and every day communication become difficult and the little things become the big things you miss. Phone calls to family and friends, hearing loved ones talk, conversations around a dinner table. However, there is support out there.

Action on Hearing Loss is a brilliant charity that dedicates their work to helping those that suffer with deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus. Their work includes providing high-quality support and care so people confronting these conditions have their needs met. They also fund research to find a cure for hearing loss, and encourage the take-up of new technology and medical treatments to help manage the condition. And to top it all off they campaign for equality, so the people they support can make the same life choices as everyone else.

In summer this year my mum will receive a cochlear implant. Without specialist NHS programmes such as the Nottingham Auditory Implant Programme, my mum would not be able to undergo this surgery and gain some of her hearing back. The expense of the surgery costs the NHS £38-45K for a single implant, reinforcing just how lucky we are to have it!

It would mean the world to my mum, my family and I if you could donate to help support the charity and all they have been able to do so far. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

(Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.)