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Courageous mum wins Tesco award
Last updated at 00:52am on 15.01.07
Brave: Helena Muir and daughter Sarah
Discovering her baby had a rare and lifelong disorder could have plunged Helena Muir into despair.
Instead, Mrs Muir resolved to do as much as possible to give her daughter Sarah a normal life.
She also threw herself into fundraising and setting up charity projects to help other deaf children.
Thirteen years on, her selfless determination has been recognised after she was named the winner of a mother of the year competition.
Mrs Muir, 37, said: 'I am just doing what any normal mother would do to make life a little easier for their child.'
Shortly after Sarah was born she was diagnosed with KID, or keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome, of which there are less than 20 known cases in the world.
The hereditary disorder left her deaf. She also has severely dry skin which has to be moisturised and bandaged every night.
Sarah cannot sweat and so has to be carefully monitored to make sure her body heat does not make her have a fit.
There is also a risk she could lose her sight, which would cut another communication link with the outside world.
Mrs Muir and her husband Gerard, 42, started learning sign language when their daughter was six months old so they would be able to talk to her.
It took them five years to become fluent but their dedication has paid dividends as they discovered the joy of being able to communicate with their child.
Mrs Muir said: 'There isn't a subject under the sun which we cannot talk about now.'
The mother from Watford, Hertfordshire, committed herself to fundraising and opened a youth club for deaf children two years ago.
She recently raised £2,000 - enough to keep the centre going for a year - by climbing Ben Nevis, which at more than 4,400 feet is the highest British peak.
Mrs Muir, who also has a son Thomas, nine, and daughter Laura, six, said: 'I am thrilled to have won. As soon as Sarah was born we realised there were lots of things we could not control but we have tried to give her as normal a life as possible.'
Sarah, who nominated her mother for the trophy, studies in a special unit attached to a mainstream school where her mother is a governor.
Mrs Muir was chosen for the top prize of a Mini Cooper and £1,500 holiday voucher from 2,000 entries to the Tesco magazine Mum of the Year contest.
Magazine editor Dawn Alford said: 'All mothers are special but these are exceptional women who have gone over and above what is normal.'
Reader views (2)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Congratulations Helena, and Sarah, for being such inspirational examples of not only surviving KID, but leading exceptional lives. Our little girl, Jemima, was born with KID syndrome twelve months ago and it has been a trying, but also defining, time for our family. We are so grateful for our beautiful little terror, but at the same time, have felt so uncertain about what a future with KID holds. Reading about Helena gave me the inspiration to go on and make Jemima's life as fulfilling and wonderful as I possibly can. Thank you, Helena - and Sarah - for your shining examples. Sarah really is a beautiful young lady, and congratulations on all you have achieved.
- Rachel Ballestrin, Adelaide, Australia
This is a lovely article and very accurate. Helena, Gerard and their family are very good friends to my sister and her family who also have deaf children. We have met on several occasions over the last ten years or so and the one thing that has always struck me about Helena in particular is her very happy, positive disposition. She is a lovely person, never feels sorry for herself and a very worthy winner. I am thrilled for them all. Congratulations to Sarah for nominating her mum.
- Julia Browning, Evesham, UK
