Molly is Clare's little cuddly bundle of joy

It’s been a long journey for this little Cocker Spaniel, but we’re delighted to tell you that she’s now Clare’s cuddly companion. Clare struggled with difficulty sleeping and socialising, until she realised that she needed help. Now, Molly supports her every day at work, at home and at play.

Clare was born with beyond profound hearing loss in her left ear and partial hearing loss in her right ear. In 2013, while finishing her degree, her hearing further deteriorated. Nobody knows why this happened. Today she wears hearing aids.

Clare explains: "I worried about not hearing the smoke alarm or alarm clock, so I just could not sleep on my own in the house. Even waiting for a package or visitor became stressful, for fear of missing the doorbell. I didn’t want to go to noisy places such as pubs or concerts, partly because I couldn’t hear what people were saying, but also because I wanted to protect my hearing.

"Being deaf in a hearing world can be very isolating. No matter how hard friends and family tried, I felt excluded from conversations, plans, stories, jokes. I would quickly grow tired of lip-reading. It was very hard."

Clare found out about Hearing Dogs after seeing a demonstration at a field sports event in 2015. That planted an idea in her head that she might benefit from a hearing dog. She continued to struggle, until her partner suggested that she really did need more help.

So, along came Molly to transform her life!

The benefits were immediate: "I slept in my home on my own for the very first time! I no longer worry that I’ll miss the alarm clock, or a smoke or fire alarm. The mornings are great – Molly jumps on me wagging her tail, full of enthusiasm to start the day!

"Communication is much easier because Molly’s burgundy Hearing Dogs coat signals that I am deaf. This works both for people who know me but might forget, and people who don’t, for example restaurant staff. Everyone wants to know what she does for me, and tells me how cute she is. The only drawback is, going out takes ages as we always stop for chats!"

Clare works at a children’s hospice, and Molly has had a wonderful effect there too: "She knows when a child needs some affection – she is amazing and spreads the joy."

Today, Molly accompanies Clare everywhere: "She came on holiday with us to Scotland. We climbed a hill and at the top there was a large rock. Molly decided she had a head for heights, climbed it and admired the view!"

"She also love loves going anywhere in the car. If you open the car door she is in it raring to go."

Clare is so happy with Molly. "She is my loyal, intelligent fun-loving, life-changing dog, a little cuddly bundle of joy. I am so grateful to all of Molly’s sponsors for enabling Hearing Dogs to train such a wonderful dog, who loves her job and is truly transforming my life."

And so ends Molly’s training journey. We’re thrilled at the outcome. Clare can sleep better now, has a new social life, and the confidence to face the future. It is a beautiful story, and one that you helped bring about.

So from all of us at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Molly’s trainer Mia, her socialising volunteers Sara and Alison, Molly’s partner Clare, and of course Molly herself – thank you so much for your kindness, and your support.