Inspirational Dad Raises Over £37k For Sick Kids

A grateful dad from Nuneaton who held a two-day coaching event inspired by his 10-year-old daughter and her care, has raised over £37,014 for us.

Matt Evans, Director of Different Focus Coaching, helps people create their life differently and be who they need to be to do this. After previously hosting a large-scale event for another charity in London, he decided to create another event for a cause closer to his heart.

Matt’s daughter, Jess, has been a patient at our hospital for the last five years, where she received cochlear implants to allow her to hear properly for the first time, when she was five.

When Jess entered the world, her newborn tests found her to be profoundly deaf and after further tests, she was diagnosed with a condition called Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder. The condition meant that although her ears were able to detect sound, the signals weren’t being transmitted to her brain properly, meaning her very limited hearing dipped in and out as if she were listening to a badly tuned radio.

Over the next few years, Jess was referred to various specialists but nothing helped her hearing and as a last resort, Jess’s consultant suggested cochlear implants but there was a risk that if the procedure didn’t work, she could lose the hearing she did have. She was then referred to our Ear, Nose and Throat team.

Matt and his wife, Kate, mulled it over, but knowing how limited her hearing was and that her speech development was already starting to suffer, they decided not to delay and to give their daughter the best chance at hearing normally.

Jess’s procedure ran without a hitch and as soon as her new implants were switched on, she could hear almost perfectly. Five years down the line, Jess can communicate as though she’d been able to hear her whole life.

Matt said: “The whole of my event was based on how listening and what we hear is the start of how we create the world we make for ourselves and who we want to be int it, given our experience as a family with Jess, makes it resonate so much more. Without Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Jess wouldn’t have had the chance to live as normal life as she does now, and enjoy the friendships that she has, so I wanted to hold an event that would help us give something back in line with this.”

The two-day event, titled ‘The Ultimate Experience – Birmingham’ was held at Villa Park and with over 300 attendees paying to take part and be inspired by over 18 high profile speakers, Matt and Kate raised nearly £40,000 for us.

Matt continued: “Seeing people leave the event with the excitement and joy of what is possible for them while knowing what all the money was being raised for was incredible. No words could describe how much I love and appreciate all involved in that gift to her.”

Annie Eytle, Head of Public Fundraising at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Sharing Jess’s personal experience at our hospital and teaming it with his positive outlook, Matt left hundreds of people inspired in their own lives but also to support our charity.

“The incredible funds raised at Matt’s event will help us improve the experience of countless families that walk through our hospital’s doors, families just like his.”