LIAT’S Country Manager Mr. Orin Walton yesterday confirmed that they are willing to render assistance by way of two airline tickets that would make it possible for 11- year old Tatiana Nunes to get the necessary medical intervention she needs to help correct her hearing difficulty which she has been suffering from since birth. Mr. Walton said the airline feels “it is a wonderful opportunity if she can get some assistance. We are willing to give that assistance.”
With that assurance given, the Mackenzie High School (MHS) Form 1 Opal student Tatiana and her mother Ms Sarah Nunes, who teaches at MHS will travel to Antigua on September 21 where they will have the intervention done by a specialist Dr George Roberts.
Sarah said in an interview “from about age three we observed that she was experiencing difficulty in hearing and this was confirmed by the kindergarten teacher.”
Mrs. Nunes said that attempts were made for assistance to Tatiana from an early age by specialists here in Guyana but “they said they couldn’t really do a test because she was so small and whatever. So as she grew we had some tests done and we tried to get some things in place but no significant relief.”
Continuing her trials the optimistic mother of two; as Tatiana has a six year old sister Tashara, remarked:  “Well as she grew older and even from that tender age we realised how brilliant she was, despite the challenge of hearing. And also talented as she excelled at school and so we thought that if she receives some assistance, tangible assistance she would be able to excel even more.”
From the early promise shown the proud mother said: “So when she wrote Common Entrance (National Grade Six Assessment) she gained a place at Mackenzie High and so as a little reward for her academic achievement, accomplishment if you want to put it that way. My brother James Richards made some enquires about a good ear specialist in Antigua; and decided he was going to stand the medical bill.”
With this promise from her brother Ms. Nunes said: “I was put on to LIAT through some contacts and so I sent through an e-mail and I was required to write a letter and Mr. Orin Walton the Country Manager of LIAT responded very promptly and favourably and agreed to pay for return tickets for me and Tatiana so that she can go access the ear examination and what ever it obtains.”
According to Mrs. Nunes, Tatiana was born prematurely and she is uncertain if that has been a contributing factor to her hearing difficulty.
However she noted: “Tatiana is, apart from the academic excellence, she participates in dances, acrobatics, drama and puppetry.” She added: “Sometimes she goes through her own little bouts of depression because there are challenges, teases by the colleagues and so on. But she is a fighter and she has a strong spirit and a very big heart.”
Her potential is evident say her proud mom since in the fact she is active in both in the ‘Deaf and Hearing World’ where she won in her group after participating in a Spelling B competition earlier this year.
“We have exhausted all avenues here and it would seem that we are limited in that particular area. It gets very bad, the hearing, it alternates goes and comes and some times she isn’t here at all,” the mother noted.
In addition to this Tatiana is an avid reader this certainly has balanced her out a bit, and her mother believes therefore that “to be able to access this treatment would be really phenomenal.”