Katarina and Gizmo

This is Katarina’s story:

I have a hereditary hearing loss and was diagnosed with moderate hearing loss while I was a child in nursery. Growing up, I found it incredibly difficult to make friends. I was constantly bullied in school due to my poor speech.

Lots of children in school found it funny to talk to me from far away or behind me, laughing at me constantly for asking them to repeat themselves or to come closer so I could lipread. I quickly became the butt of many jokes.

I developed depression by the time I was in my late teens due to my hearing loss. I am an anxious person, and the idea of popping to the shops by myself was daunting.

I found myself relying on my parents for help and I couldn’t cope with being left at home on my own as this would send me into a panic.

In my early 20s, I moved out of the family home into my own place, but my anxiety and depression got worse. I felt guilty all the time for asking for help and I hated encroaching on other people’s lives.

In 2023, many things changed. I got new hearing aids that greatly helped and I wear them all the time, but the best change was being matched with my hearing dog; a chocolate Labrador named Gizmo.

I’m so very grateful to Hearing Dogs matching us so perfectly. I have a newfound confidence in myself, and I feel safe and capable of anything. My Gizmo means the world to me. I'd be so lost without him and can't see myself going anywhere without my shadow.

He’s such a joy to have in my life; he’s my emotional support floof. I’ve been really struggling with my mental health lately and Gizmo is always there for me, ready for cuddles.

He knows just how to get me out of the house for a walk to clear my head. I’m so, so grateful to have him as my trusty sidekick.

I can now go out by myself to run errands and see friends and family knowing that Gizmo is with me every step of the way. He is such a lovely dog to have around, so loving, and always keen for another adventure.

Being at home alone is no longer terrifying and my anxiety now is considerably lower than it has ever been. I no longer rely on ‘hearing humans’ to tell me when a sound is happening, because I have my furry friend already on the case. Gizmo is by my side always, eager to make life as stress-free as possible.

He is very on-point with his soundwork and, whilst I love that his ears work better than mine, sometimes he is cheeky… when he hears the fridge or cupboard opening, he's like a brown blur flying from the living room to the kitchen!

He is a breath of fresh air in my life. I’m a naturally outdoorsy person and love exploring. Since having Gizmo, I have been doing this independently more and more. With Gizmo I feel free to live a full life, to be spontaneous and go anywhere – every day is an adventure.