"Chrissie has dramatically changed my life"

Nathan’s sense of isolation, already a problem for him, was much magnified during the pandemic, but with the help of his hearing dog Chrissie, one of our former sponsor pups, he is leading a full life again and indulging his passion for history.

“I will be forever grateful for the support I received from my teachers and my one-to-one teaching assistant at school. With their help, I succeeded in getting the qualifications I needed to study towards a degree in Deaf Studies and Law at the University of Wolverhampton”, said Nathan.

Although Nathan met the challenges of deafness head-on, he still struggled with some of the issues hearing loss can bring.

“I used to be quite anxious at nighttime. When I took off my implant, I couldn’t hear at all. I could feel vibrations though, so I’d feel the noise, like if a branch tapped the window, I just couldn’t identify what it was or where it was coming from.

“I didn’t used to like going out. It there was a work Christmas do, for instance, I wouldn’t go. I knew that if there was too much background noise, I’d miss out on a lot of the conversation. At family gatherings, you’d find me sitting on my own a lot because I’d struggle to understand what was going on.”

Before Chrissie arrived, Nathan had been through dark times.

“My grandparents passed away within just over a year of each other, and then the pandemic arrived. I was already feeling isolated before it as friends that I’d grown up with had moved away or started their own families, but this became much worse. I couldn’t see family members for months on end. I started to feel very cut off.

“Chrissie has dramatically changed my life. I have more confidence. I can talk to people now, even those I don’t know. It’s almost like I’m wearing a sign saying, ‘I have a disability, I might need a bit of help’. When I’m out and about, people come and talk to me about her and ask what she does for me. It’s wonderful.

“She alerts me to sounds I would previously miss, such as the smoke alarm, my phone and the timer, and I can rest safely knowing she is looking after me. I no longer miss important calls from my family, as she’ll take me to my phone when it rings. If I put the washing machine on, I leave the timer next to it and she’ll tell me when it’s finished.

 

“My colleagues adore her. It’s got to a point where people don’t ask where I am, they ask where Chrissie is! She’s already identified who takes their packed lunch into work with them and will go and sit next to their desk! At a recent awards evening, people who I would never previously have had the confidence to go up and chat to, were coming over to talk to us.

 

“She’s helped me to lead a fuller life. I’ve discovered a newfound confidence and I’m doing things I enjoy. I have a passion for History, and I’ve joined English Heritage. Chrissie loves exploring new places and meeting new people, so now I’ve started visiting places I’ve always wanted to go.

 

“I feel privileged and lucky to have such a unique dog as Chrissie in my life.”