A Dublin father whose child was born with hearing loss is set to lead a 100-strong motorbike run in aid of a charity for people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Mark Caffrey, a 37-year-old fire safety engineer and Harley-Davidson enthusiast, will lead the bike run from the Dublin headquarters of the famous motorcycle in Ballymount to Deaf Village Ireland in Cabra on June 15, one day before Father's Day.
All proceeds raised from the event will go toward Chime, the national charity for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
Caffrey and his partner Emma Cahill, who live in Walkinstown, Dublin, said they were initially reluctant to talk about the hearing issues affecting their young daughter Bonnie in an effort to protect themselves.
"I was inclined to keep my worries to myself to protect Emma, but later discovered she was doing the same," Caffrey said.
Bonnie, who is six months old, did not respond to hearing tests after her birth and was eventually diagnosed with hearing loss in both of her ears, which would not resolve itself.
"It was double-edged for us. We had gone in fearing Bonnie was completely deaf. But we did not know what would happen next," Caffrey said.
"We were not aware of the implications. Would she speak? Would she need to attend a special school? How long would it take to get hearing aids?
"Chime contacted us within days of being referred and introduced us to the many resources they make available to deaf and hard-of-hearing children. I cannot thank them enough."
Caffrey said the charity became the couple's "guide", making house visits and letting them know what they were entitled to.
"They even helped us fill in the forms for grants, including for an Irish Sign Language tutor, and have provided hearing aid care and maintenance."
He said Chime has played a crucial role in Bonnie's life so far and added that he hopes to give something back to the charity with the upcoming motorcycle run.
"Chime have been such a valuable part of our journey and we want every child with hearing loss to be looked after as well as she has been."
To learn more, or to donate to the campaign, click here.
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