"Budgie brings me so much security, happiness, laughter and
a real sense of
self-worth. Mix all together and bake for an hour or two and you end up with
a ‘Budgie Special’. Rich in confidence to see you through life’s challenges;
self-esteem to grab all opportunities that come your way; independence to live
alone and to live the life you choose; courage to be your own person; pride to
be proud of your successes however small; acceptance to like who you are; strength
to bounce back when the going gets tough; and the cherry on top is the chance
to be equal."
Tracy Lewis and hearing dog Budgie
Testimonials
Kenny Gibson and hearing dog Troy
Troy was donated to Hearing Dog and has been with Kenny Gibson from Co. Londonderry since September 2006.
I have been deaf for 25 years. I coped at work until I had an accident which left me with a brain injury. I started having mood swings and very bad panic attacks. I wouldn't go anywhere, stayed in the house all the time, wouldn't go near shops or where other people were. I suffered from short-term memory loss, then had several heart attacks.
All I ended up doing was lying in bed all the time or in front of the TV. I never heard the door or the phone. The family came to visit us but I wouldn't even go out with them, I was getting like a virtual recluse.
When Troy arrived I had to go out as he needed walking and as Troy is allowed into shops I had to do it as well. We even started going out for meals to restaurants, a thing we hadn't done for so many years but Troy gives me confidence to go places. He also alerted me one day when a car was coming at the back of me, turning into a driveway. I didn't hear it coming and Troy stopped me from crossing in front of the car.
Troy alerts me to the phone, the door, any alarms; it is amazing the difference he has made to me. He has been life-changing to me. Having Troy is the best thing to have happened to me and it has given me a new lease of life.
Troy has been named as the winner of the 2009 Life-Changing Hearing Dog of the Year Award. This year the life-changing hearing dog category was judged by TV celebrity Martin Clunes. Martin said of Troy: "Troy has given Kenny a reason to go out and mix with people, and has allowed the family to have a normal life again visiting shops and restaurant. He is life-changing in all respects helping Kenny to be more sociable, safer and to enjoy life again."