Beatrice Cadman one of our amazing Young Ambassadors has been joined by her beautiful pet dog Margot to start the countdown to Loud Shirt Day 2020 which this year is on October 23rd.

Bea and Margot are both sporting her new sixth form uniform as they launched the six-week countdown and challenged everyone to wear their LOUDEST clothes and help create a sound future for deaf children.

Bea has just passed all her GCSEs and this week started her A Level course as she moves toward her goal of becoming a nurse or midwife.

She attended AVUK as a baby and is now one of the charity’s Young Ambassador’s. Not only has she succeeded despite her profound hearing loss but just a year ago there was concern about her school work and the predictions for her GCSEs and chances of being able to study A Levels were not that hopeful.

She said: “I really want to be a nurse or a midwife and I realised that if I wanted to achieve that dream I had to focus and really work towards my GCSEs.

“Even though coronavirus meant everything was turned on its head, especially for schools and exams. I am so pleased that the work I did paid off. I was really nervous when I was waiting for my results but I’m really very proud of what I have achieved. I couldn’t wait to get back to school and start my A Levels.

“And Margot and I are delighted to be fronting this year’s Loud Shirt Day. Money raised at the event will help more deaf babies and children like me to achieve their dreams.

“It’s so easy to make a difference just dress up in your loudest clothes, get all your family involved and of course your pets and post your photos on social media #LoudShirtDay. Or why not have a Loud Shirt party joining friends and families virtually. Don’t forget to donate – it’s easier than ever online or you can text LOUD to 70970 to donate £5 or 70191 to donate £10.”

Since the diagnosis of her hearing loss at birth Beatrice and her family have always been determined that she could reach her potential, achieve her ambitions and have the same opportunities as her hearing peers.

They enrolled on the Auditory Verbal UK programme when Beatrice was 16-months-old and had no understanding of sound at all. However within an hour of working with the highly specialised therapists her mother Kate saw the change. She said: “Witnessing my profoundly deaf daughter react to my voice for the first time was a miracle.”

Beatrice spent three years on the AVUK specialist listening and spoken  language programme where specially trained Auditory Verbal therapists coach parents to develop their child’s listening and spoken language.

When she started school Beatrice had the same language levels as her classmates and has gone from strength to strength.

Kate added: “"I'm absolutely thrilled that Bea is continuing to following her dreams of becoming a midwife. Being deaf can be frustrating and, particularly now everyone is wearing masks, it can be extra difficult for Bea at times. The resilience she always shows and the positive ways she copes with situations is all down to the training we as a family received from AV UK. I am so proud of Bea and so completely grateful to AV UK for giving our family so much support and the Bea the confidence to tackle and overcome any obstacles." 

After achieving her fabulous GCSE results Beatrice did an Instagram takeover of the AVUK  page for the day sharing her own insights into her daily life including dealing with hearing aids and cochlear implants and the new necessity for face masks.

Margot and Bea will be appearing regularly in the weeks up to Loud Shirt Day urging more people to register and help deaf babies and children achieve their dreams just as she is doing.