A YOUNG, lovable labrador has completely changed the life of a West Devon woman, pulling her out of a ‘dark place’ and restoring her confidence after she was diagnosed as deaf.

Fifty-two-year-old Helen Burridge was born with a severe hearing impairment but this was not discovered until her diagnosis nearly 30 years later.

Helen, from Tavistock, claims four-year-old hearing dog Sam is her soul mate and has turned her life around since she received him from the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People charity two years ago. In that time he has helped to boost her confidence and pulled her out of the isolated life she felt she was in.

Helen said she knew she was different from a young age but didn’t fully become aware of her deafness until her late 20s.

‘My parents were informed by teachers at junior school that I appeared slow and they were advised to take me to the doctor, but the doctor told us that I was just slow and would eventually pick up,’ said Helen. ‘I first became aware of my deafness at the age of 27, back in 1991. Work colleagues had been saying that my ears were dirty and needed syringing! Doctors could find nothing wrong other than they considered that I had fluid in my middle ear and that they would make an appointment with the audiologist for an operation to drain the fluid away in order for my hearing to return to normal.’

Helen said the doctors then prescribed her an inhaler and she had to wait 18 months to see a specialist. When she saw the audiologist, his first impression was that she was deaf and did not have fluid in the middle ear and the prescriptions had been doing nothing.

‘I was under the care of Derriford Hospital for around two years, during which time they tried every hearing aid available. Eventually, having come to the end of the road, they carried out a brain stem test which proved that I had been born with a hearing impairment and had lost between 60 and 70 per cent of my hearing in both ears.

‘They informed me they couldn’t do anything more for me because the hospital couldn’t afford digital hearing aids.’

Helen’s mother had heard about someone who had gone for private healthcare and managed to persuade Helen to do the same to get the best hearing aids. During this time Helen wanted to find other ways to cope and passed the British Sign Language stage 1 course. She tried to enrol on the lip-reading course at the same time but it was cancelled due to lack of interest. To this day she has still been unable to successfully enrol on a lip-reading course.

Helen originally worked for Devon and Cornwall Constabulary as an admin officer in the Force Fixed Penalty department.

‘When I was diagnosed as being deaf, and at the point of being told by the hospital that there was nothing more they could do for me, my work colleagues changed towards me considerably. Many didn’t know how to communicate with a deaf person. I became withdrawn and isolated, often not holding a conversation. I eventually lost my job and went to work for the civil service in different areas, where I still work today. From the moment of transferring to the civil service people were supportive and understanding of my disability — all I ever wanted was for people to accept me for who I was. I didn’t want sympathy, just understanding!’

Helen, who took on the role of disability officer for her department, was asked to attend a disability meeting at Tavistock Parish Church Centre. It was here she met the South West co-ordinator for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Margaret Rogers. Margaret persuaded Helen to assist with setting up a new South West puppy training centre and she soon became involved in the local fundraising group and helping at hearing dog events.

Unfortunately, both of Helen’s parents, who had helped her cope with her disability throughout her life, fell ill and passed away in 2011.

‘I had to give up my work with the charity and I didn’t have many friends. I had hit rock bottom and found it difficult to cope.

‘I had inherited my mother’s cocker spaniel Monty, who I worked on and he began alerting me when the telephone or doorbell rang, but he wasn’t trained as a hearing dog. I desperately needed help with being alerted to other sounds and when Monty had to be put to sleep from pancreatic cancer, I felt desperately lost and alone.’

Helen took the decision to apply for a hearing dog of her own and in the summer of 2014 she received a phone call that changed her life.

‘I had been invited for a two-day meet and greet with a young, black labrador called Sam. It was love at first sight and we took one look at each other and I knew we were meant to be together.’

Sam alerts Helen to seven different sounds, including her alarm clock in the morning, the cooker timer, doorbell and three different smoke alarms.

He has increased Helen’s confidence and she now gives talks about the charity, which she said she would have never done before. She has also been asked to be a mentor for new recipients of a hearing dog.

Helen is now keen to spread the word of the charity’s work and wants to change someone else’s life by aiming to raise £50,000 to pay for a hearing dog.

‘Sam has turned my life around from feeling like I was in a bottomless pit — a big, black void — to a life that is now so overwhelmingly emotional. Everyone has fallen for Sam’s big, friendly eyes and he is loved by one and all. He has given me the chance to meet and socialise with other dog owners, improved my fitness and my confidence.

‘We are learning new experiences together and overcoming problems together. I feel confident and happy to accept challenging roles I would have avoided before.

‘I have a friend in Sam and a soul mate. My friends can see a change in me and see my happiness and new found love for life — so much of which is down to Sam!’

Any group or organisation interested in receiving a talk about hearing dogs from Helen can contact the charity through the website www.hearingdogs.org. uk

Helen is also looking to set up a West Devon fundraising group for the charity. Anyone interesting in taking part or offering help can contact the Times for more information.