Despite being deaf, she has always been able to communicate with us although she does sound funny when speaking and as she has got older its a little more difficult for me to understand. She still regularly goes to her deaf club and play bingo.

As I said she is lovely and like she would do anything for the family, we would do anything for her. We watch TV with the subtitles on and try to make sure she stays in touch with the conversations, but that can be tough.

So nearly 7 years ago I bought her a pay as you go mobile phone - "now most of the family thought I was taking the micky" but I was serious this was for her to be able to keep in touch with us all whenever she liked. Now although it was a pain at first she caught on quickly and is constantly texting to us all. She now can keep in touch with all the goings on and even start some of the conversations her self.

Within in weeks the whole of the deaf club were buying pay as you go mobile phones and texting to their hearts content. My auntie is now 70 years old and is making use of the mobile technology that deaf people should never have been able to do all thanks to texting.