Lucas Shiells, Deafblind Awareness Week

There are 394,000 deafblind people in the UK, and one of those people is five-year-old Lucas who is supported by Vista’s Family Support Service. 

This week is Deafblind Awareness Week, so we’d like to share his story with you. 

Sight and hearing loss can happen to anyone gradually over a period of time. Lucas from Littlethorpe in Leicestershire was diagnosed with Cortical Vision Impairment, which affects his sight and vision. 

His family first found out about Vista in 2014 and met with Paula from the Family Support Team who told them about all of the activities they can get involved with. Lucas has enjoyed many activities such as, music therapy sessions at our Simmins Crescent Home, as well as day trips to the farm and more. 

Mum, Frauke says, “all of the activities have benefited Lucas. They give him exposure to a variety of experiences. The home visits by Vista’s habilitation specialist, Ronak, gives us valuable information and introduces new specialist toys that can grab Lucas’s attention” 

“The days out provided by Paula and the children’s team are an opportunity for Lucas to see things we wouldn’t normally see. Lucas absolutely loves the sensory room, so much that he doesn’t even want to leave when it’s time to go! At music therapy he loves hearing the music and exploring the different instruments with his hands and feet”

Our dedicated family support service work closely with children we support to identify their needs and be there for the whole family, providing friendly impartial advice and information when they need it most. Vista’s qualified habilitation specialists have a wealth of experience in supporting children and young people to reach key developmental milestones and make the best use of the sight they have.

Could you help someone like Lucas? If so, we’d like to hear from you. There are many ways for you to get involved. Please get in touch with our Fundraising Team on 0116 249 8801.