Zara has helped Lynda live a full life again

Zara made it!

She graduated as a hearing dog, and has been partnered with Lynda.

Lynda has led a fulfilling career helping deaf children as a teaching assistant. However, when she moved house and school, she starting isolating herself, finding it just too difficult to be around people who couldn’t relate to her deafness. Now that she has Zara, she’s part of a team that, far from being shut away, is achieving local celebrity status!

The partnership begins

It wasn’t until she was 11 years old that Lynda realised she had difficulty hearing people. Doctors thought there was nothing wrong because her speech was so good. After struggling through school and college, she insisted on a hearing test. This revealed she has sensorineural deafness (damage to the cochlea and auditory nerve) in both ears. To this day, nobody knows why.

“My deafness has a huge impact on my social life”, Lynda says. “I can’t follow conversations, and this isn’t helped by people ignoring me. I’m fine around my family, but out in the world, I can feel invisible.”

While Lynda struggled socially, she was proud to lead the deaf unit as a teaching assistant at her local school. Sadly, the unit closed, so Lynda moved home to be closer to family. With this came a change of school too, working as teaching assistant again, but helping hearing children.

However, she still found life difficult. “A few friends went out of their way to make sure I was included in conversations, but generally people didn’t really talk to me. It was easier to sit at home than make an effort to go out.” Lynda began isolating herself, avoiding situations where she’d be made to feel invisible.

Then, she found out about Hearing Dogs online. “My youngest daughter’s Jack Russell Terrier used to tell me about sounds, and it was so wonderful. I thought it would be amazing if I had one!”

Well, today, Lynda has one – beautiful Zara, whom you helped through her training.

Lynda is thrilled. “Zara has already totally transformed my life. She has got me out of the rut I was in. I don’t shut myself away any more. Now, we’re out walking every day.

“I’ve met so many people through her. Everyone speaks to us, usually Zara before me, but I don’t mind that at all!”

Indeed, it seems Zara has become something of a star! “She’s quite the celebrity in our village and even has her own Twitter account (@PrincessZaraBPS).”

Lynda concludes: “Zara is the sweetest, gentlest little soul with just the right amount of cheekiness to make her the perfect dog.”

What’s next?

Linda is planning a trip to wales to visit family and friends but wants to let Zara settle into her new life first. When they go, she’ll be confident with Zara by her side.

Lynda laughs: “I feel like I have my friend with me all the time now which is pretty amazing!”

Without your help, this story would not have happened. Lynda would still be stuck at home, unwilling to go out, because of her deafness. Zara has helped her reconnect with the world, and re-establish a life.

You made this possible through your generosity. On behalf of Lynda and everyone at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People… thank you so very much for sponsoring Zara.