How attending events has helped our family

My husband and I have four sons. Charlie, our second oldest son, is 11 and was born with left-sided Microtia Atresia. Microtia, a condition which is rare and few people are aware of, affects the left side of his hearing. The condition causes an underdeveloped left ear, which affects Charlie’s hearing. Since Charlie was a young boy, my husband and I have taken Charlie to various face-to-face activities to make him feel less alone.

Charlie really enjoys going to events where he can meet other microtiacs and deaf kids. These events have helped us and Charlie to talk and also made him feel confident and proud of himself. We have enjoyed meeting other families, and we’ve been able to relate with them. This has been very important.

We’ve taken our other boys to Charlie’s events before because it allowed them to understand microtia and single-sided hearing loss better.

Face-to-face activities have given us and other families the opportunity to participate in fun activities we might not have done before. Charlie spoke to a group of adults about his experiences with microtia and being deaf, as well as the BAHA Attract surgery. I’m not sure if Charlie could have done that without attending these events. We were proud of him for raising awareness.

The event to be held in Scotland

The next event that we will attend is free, and it takes place in Perth on the 25th of March, 2023, at Willowgate Activity Centre. Adults and children with facial differences will participate with their families. There will also be a number of charities, including the Cleft Lip and Palate Association (CLPA), Microtia UK and Headlines Craniofacial Support UK. Charlie is excited to try kayaking, archery, and axe-throwing, as well as canoeing.