Go sugar-free in Feb for good cause

Peyton was born deaf but can now hear and talk thanks largely to help from The Hearing House. Photo / Doug Sherring

Little Peyton can now hear and talk

Kind-hearted Kiwis are being asked to make a difference by laying off sugar next month.

The Hearing House - which helps give young deaf children the gift of hearing - is among charities to benefit from FabFeb, which invites people to go sugar-free for a month.

It aims to raise $10 million for charities which provide life-changing assistance for children with physical and intellectual disabilities.

For FabFeb supporter Rochae Slattery-Holtz, raising money for The Hearing House will be especially poignant because the charity helped her daughter Peyton, 21 months, who was born profoundly deaf.

After two cochlear implants and therapy at The Hearing House, Peyton can now hear and talk.

"I'm completely grateful for everything The Hearing House does for us," Slattery-Holtz said. "They're like a second family."

The Auckland mum said it was a shock to discover just a few days after her beautiful daughter was born that she was deaf.

But within a year, Peyton had partial hearing after an operation and weekly therapy sessions meant she learned to talk.

"She's got a heap of words now. Like any typical 2-year-old, her most recent word is 'no'," said Slattery-Holtz.

Participants in FabFeb can either go sugar free or fast carb free, replacing them with healthy options. They are also encouraged to set up online pages to lobby for donations.

Charities to benefit from FabFeb include GlowKids, Conductive Education trusts, Autism New Zealand, Creative Abilities, Dogs for Kids, Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre and Starjam.

"People are entering the New Year with resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight," said FabFeb co-ordinator Courtney Bellingham.

"Fab Feb means people can do this and get sponsored by friends and family at the same time."