THE family of a schoolboy whose life was transformed following cochlear implant surgery are raising funds to say ‘thank you’.

Swain House Primary School pupil Binyaameen Ali had the devices surgically implanted in both ears at the Bradford Royal Infirmary's Listening for Life Centre when he was just two years old.

Three years on Binyaameen, now five, is a happy, bright schoolboy on par with his peers. As a way of showing their gratitude, Binyaameen’s parents, Muhammad and Renu Ali have started fundraising to raise £3,000 for the Listening for Life Centre’s Cone Beam Scanner Appeal – and personally donated the first £100.

The quest is now on to raise the £190,000 needed to buy a cone beam scanner, which will be used to scan the ears of patients and identify the best possible position for a cochlear implant’s electrodes. Cutting-edge cone beam scanners provide significantly more accurate results than standard CT scanners and create less irradiation.

Mr Ali, an Islamic Consultant, said: “Having cochlear implants fitted has been life-changing for Binyaameen. His hearing deteriorated from birth, but thanks to the cochlear implants he is able to hear and speak very well.

“If he had not had the cochlear implants he would be communicating via sign language. Hearing and speech are linked and thanks to the cochlear implants, his continuous use of the external processors and the great speech and language therapy he’s received, his speech and comprehension is improving on a daily basis.

“The support, help and guidance we have received from the whole team at the Listening for Life Centre has been amazing. In line with our Islamic teaching of ‘Like for others what you like for yourself’, we just want to show our appreciation and help others benefit, like we have.”

Binyaameen failed his newborn hearing screening and was referred to the ENT team at the BRI. Initially, he was given one hearing aid as his right ear was fine, but after further testing audiologists discovered the hearing in this ear was deteriorating too, which led to him wearing hearing aids on both sides.

Soon after, however, Binyaameen was found to have enlarged vestibular aqueducts in both ears, and was referred to Professor Chris Raine MBE, a Consultant ENT Surgeon, to discuss having cochlear implants fitted.

"He had them fitted in both ears at the BRI in 2016.

“His confidence comes from the ability to speak which, of course, is connected to the ability to hear.

"The cochlear implants don’t stop him from doing anything - they are there to enable him to live a normal life," Mr Ali said.

“We recently went to his parents’ evening at school and were told he is performing at the same level as his peers, who are fully hearing.

"He is often recognised for outstanding work too."

He added: “We are very grateful to the whole team at the centre, including Professor Raine, audiological scientists, speech and language therapists and the technical unit, and we’d like to raise awareness of the amazing job they and cochlear implants do. We’d like other children to benefit from the same great care that Binyaameen has had.”

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/muhammad-ali17