Story
<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I`m attempting to raise some money to help Alfie get his hearing sorted. He lives local and I appreciate anything you can give.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 3.75pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 24pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Middlesbrough family launches bid to give little Alfie Spraggon gift of hearing</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">THE gift of hearing would be the best present ever for little Alfie Spraggon.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Now the Middlesbrough tot’s family has launched an appeal to raise £20,000 to make that dream come true.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Alfie has severe hearing loss which causes him extreme frustration.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">But the three-year-old’s family is pinning hopes on a procedure which could transform his life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">An appeal is now being launched to pay for the hearing implants, which are not available on the NHS.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Alfie has a twin brother Seth, and two other siblings, twins James and Matilda, two, who all enjoy normal hearing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">He was born prematurely at seven months and lack of oxygen at birth damaged his hearing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Mum Sarah, 27, of Barnaby Avenue, Middlesbrough, said: “Alfie was born on June 19, 2008 at 28 weeks, youngest twin to Seth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“He had open heart surgery at six-weeks-old and has chronic lung disease, so is oxygen dependant.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“He has severe sensi-neural hearing loss in both ears.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“He can hear very, very little. He gets really frustrated.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 11.25pt 7.5pt 0cm; background: white;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">“He wears digital hearing aids which give him some hearing but not all frequencies</span></p>
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