Becoming a mother taught me how precious and important our children's health and wellbeing is and I have taken the challenge to raise funds for NDCS, to help my colleague Tess Lomax and her beautiful boy Lucas.

My lovely colleague Tess's boy, Lucas was born in July 2021 and at 8 weeks old he was diagnosed with severe to profound permanent hearing loss.

I can't imagine the stress and the worry these young parents had to face during what should have been the happiest time of their life.

Children born deaf or with severe hearing loss are around twice as likely to suffer from psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. Research suggests this stems from feelings of isolation.

Luckily the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) provides amazing support to the 50,000 children in the UK who live with hearing loss, and their families.

The NDCS have helped Tess access British Sign Language lessons and webinars on a range of topics to understand Lucas's diagnosis, his needs and his rights more thoroughly.

Tess has been able to connect with other parents who are at the same stage in their child's diagnosis, and have attended baby sign and story-time sessions online with their early years team.

In the UK today there are about 50,000 children who live with hearing loss, and their families.

I will try my best to walk 50,000 steps this month to raise minimum £500 for Tess and the NDCS.

I would immensely grateful if you could donate a couple of quids to this cause that would greatly help so many children in needs and their families live a better life.

Thank you so much,

Sara