A SPONSORED walk is taking place to help a little girl who was born profoundly deaf.

Trinity School pupil Ruby Walsh’s ear canals didn’t grow when she was in her mum Christina’s womb.

The mum-of-two said she knew something was wrong as soon as Ruby was born but that it took two years before she was able to hear.

She said: “I just knew something was wrong when she was born, I think because I had already had Maisy, I just knew something was different.

“Ruby had to have lots of tests, we had to go back four times for one as she kept waking up, and eventually it came back that she was profoundly deaf.

“It was a real shock to me and my husband Paul, I had post-natal depression and thought it was all my fault.”

Just before she was one, Ruby was taken to Bristol Children’s Hospital to have cochlear implants installed, but it wasn’t until she was two that she could fully hear.

Somerset County Gazette:

Christina added: “They’re essentially a foreign object in her ear and she wasn’t too happy about having them in so kept pulling them out.

“She looked like Stewie from Family Guy her head just swelled up so much after the operation.

“But when she got used to them it was just amazing to watch her hear things for the first time.

“She used to take them and hide them out when she was at pre school and even now if I’m telling her off, she takes them out so she doesn’t have to hear me.”

Ruby is unable to wear her implants in water as they aren’t waterproof, meaning bath times can be a struggle and swimming and trips to the beach can be a difficult experience.

But now Theresa Torr from the Salvation Army where Ruby is a member of, has organised a sponsored walk for her to get a special silicone sleeve to fit over her implants, meaning she can wear them in water.

“At the moment she wears plastic bags which are really uncomfortable and slip off.

“These covers mean she can go in the water and still hear us, something we take for granted,” Christina added.

“We want to raise £700 to buy a few packs of the covers, and anything over will go into a special account for Ruby.

“Thank you to Theresa for organising this walk and everyone is welcome to come along and join us.”

The five mile walk is taking place at Vivary Park on Monday, May 29 meeting at the fountain for 10am.

Mrs Torr said: “I know Ruby and her sister Maisy as they regularly come to services here.

“They are a similar age to my grandchildren and although the Salvation Army does lots of work for the community, I thought it would be nice to do something for someone we do see a lot of.

“Ruby is lovely and she’s such a character, you can’t meet Ruby and not like her she’s just so endearing.

“Everyone can join us and we can all do this together.”

To find out more or to sponsor Ruby, visit http://bit.ly/2qjoW6Q