Kallie is Niaomh's amazing, life-changing and lovable 'Missy Moo'

We are absolutely thrilled to tell you that Kallie is now helping Naoimh. She is slowly losing her hearing, a process she has found extremely difficult, especially as she wants to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. With Kallie’s help, she’s learning to accept this loss, and move forward with her life and her profession.

Naoimh started to lose her hearing five years ago, and she has been told she will lose her hearing completely in a few years.

“It has been very difficult for me,” Naoimh explains. “My sister has a cochlear implant, and although that has changed her life in many positive ways, it was a huge shock when I started to lose mine.

“I have felt very isolated. In shops, people have given me harsh looks when I did not move out of the way because I couldn’t hear them. I’ve also had real difficulty sleeping, I’ve felt so stressed.”

Deaf people can experience a lack of understanding from the public of this ‘invisible disability’, and problems sleeping because deafness and darkness combined can be very scary.

Naoimh is a recently qualified clinical psychologist, and deafness overshadowed her career too.

“I had doubts about how I would pursue my future career if I couldn't hear my clients,” Naoimh explains. “I also found it very hard to tell colleagues about my hearing difficulties in meetings.”

It was while browsing the Action on Hearing Loss website that Naoimh read about Hearing Dogs, and applied. Now, Kallie is her constant companion – and her life has completely changed, professionally, personally and socially.

“My confidence has improved, and that’s affected everything. At home, I don’t feel anxious because Kallie’s listening out for the doorbell or smoke alarm. I’m happy out and about, because people actually stop me to ask about my beautiful girl, with her big brown eyes and glossy black coat.

“At work, it just takes a snuffle from Kallie as she settles during meetings, to remind staff to face me so I can lipread them. Meetings can be quite funny now, when Kallie interjects with a sleepy snore!

“Kallie has helped me to believe in myself again, to realise I am still the same person despite having hearing loss. She is helping me to shine in many ways and remember my strengths. I am really excited about my future career now.”

Naoimh feels strongly about promoting deaf awareness, and Kallie has given her that boost of confidence to move forward, planning deaf awareness sessions with colleagues, and writing articles about her experiences.

She also entertains Naoimh! “When my husband and I visited Bamburgh Castle for my birthday, Kallie suddenly started sniffing the air, and put her paws on a wall to see… the beach! Everyone laughed at how excited she was. She then had a good splash in the sea!

And of course, Kallie is accompanying Naoimh everywhere. She even had her first flight recently. “It went really well. She had her own seat, but still preferred to steal some of my leg room and settle at my feet. Then she had a snooze when we landed. I’m so proud of her.”

So how would Naoimh sum up Kallie? “She is my amazing, life-changing and lovable ‘Missy Moo’.”

When you sponsored Kallie we told you that she would one day change a deaf person’s life. That day has come. This is thanks to you, her sponsor. You have given Naoimh the confidence to move forward with every aspect of her life. We are so very grateful. Thank you.