programme in Jersey, in 2006. She was fitted with hearing aids at 13 weeks old and received cochlear implants at St Thomas’s Hospital, London, when she was 19 months old. She is a fluent speaker and signer and attends Le Rocquier School with the specialist provision of the ARC (Additional Resource Centre).Martha is hearing, but was in the signing choir at primary school.

Viv and Craig joined Earsay shortly after Heather was born as Viv, particularly, was struggling with the diagnosis and had no idea how to best care for a deaf baby. She soon connected with two deaf mothers of hearing babies and discovered they were feeling exactly the same way! They quickly saw that deafness did not stand in anybody’s way and a can-do approach was what was necessary. The other members of Earsay were able to give much needed advice and support in the early stages. The charity also funded BSL classes for Heather’s parents, grandparents and godmothers, and has continued to assist with equipment, residentials and social events. The latter have given Heather a peer group and helped build her identity as a “normal” kid who happens to be deaf. She is equally comfortable with deaf people and hearing people and will switch her language to suit.