Meet T, a remarkable 24-year-old navigating life as an autistic individual with learning difficulties.
At just 4 years old, T faced a life-changing battle with meningitis, leaving him with a fear of medicine and heightened sensitivity to certain sounds made by others, which makes it very difficult to access activities.
T’s family first learned about Gympanzees while he was still attending school. During every holiday break, the school would
compile a list of activities, and Gympanzees found its place in one of those leaflets. T’s mum attended a session with his sister not long after, but at that time, it was quite a distance from their home.
During the summer, family’s options were limited due to T’s extreme sound sensitivity. They could only go for walks in open areas. Parking posed another challenge; the car had to be right outside their destination. This precaution was necessary because if a noise startled T, he would make a beeline for the car without regard for roads or safety.
In 2023, however, things took a favourable turn. Gympanzees had set up just around the corner from their house! This proximity provided T and his family with the opportunity to explore and enjoy activities in a safe and secure environment.
Gympanzees went above and beyond by closing down sessions to accommodate T and his family. Over time, T’s confidence grew, and he began participating in sessions with other individuals, showcasing remarkable progress and integration.
T’s mum said:
“It was a game-changer. The ability to participate in a proper activity, where we could feel safe and secure indoors while utilising the equipment, has been nothing short of amazing for our family. It opened new possibilities for enjoyable and worry-free experiences, making a significant positive impact on all of us. For T it was huge! His first visit was mostly checking everything out, including the staff, making sure there were no surprise noises. By the end of the Summer Pop Up T was completely relaxed at Gympanzees, talking and interacting with the staff, and even able to come along to sessions with other young people. A total turnaround for him and the family. Every week he has been showing us the room layout leaflet showing that he wants to visit and finding Gympanzees on Google maps just in case we didn’t get the hint with the leaflet. For us it’s been great to get out as a family and meet new people.
Thank you, Gympanzees!”
