Steve Smith
Father of Stephen
Reading on behalf of his wife

I'm just reading a small extract from a story written by my wife about my son, Stephen. 

Through reading and searching literature, which I did at every opportunity, I found some information on SENSE and made contact with them in Birmingham. One day a lady, Doreen Norris, did the 100-mile journey in a little white van and came to visit us.

This was the first person to tell us other children like this existed. This was real, practical, hands-on help. She brought specialist toys. I remember the first thing, a silver shiny, noisy insulation sheet to wrap around Stevie to try and stimulate any vision and noise he may hear or see. Contact was now made and
we were invited to spend a weekend at the family centre in Edgbaston for Doreen to observe and help us to “live” with Stevie.

That weekend was a first for our family of five. We had become disjointed in the last 18 months, we were more a family of three and two, as often my husband had to juggle his job and look after the other two children while I had Stevie. Our adrenaline was nil and we were so tired we just ticked along day by day.

Our connections with Sense were made and although at that time the people were a long way away, Sense was gradually spreading towards the east of the country and we were not forgotten. And we are still not forgotten. It's been very good. Thank you very much.