From Catherine Graham

Watching my 10 year old son lying happily in a hammock reading a fiction book whilst his two sisters played noisily in the pool brought a huge lump to my throat and my husband reaching for the camera. This momentous, yet simple event was the very first time he had read a book on his own.

Our son is dyslexic and his story is very much like thousands of other people with dyslexia. He was a star at nursery and we were often told how bright and able he was. His vocabulary was extensive and he was full of ideas. As soon as he entered P1 it was a very different story. Being made to sit at a desk with a pencil in his hand was certainly not bringing out the best in him.

I am a primary teacher with experience of special needs so it became obvious fairly early on that he was struggling. I supported him a great deal at home with games, phonics, reading to him every night and so on. However, he still really struggled. Eventually aged 8 we got the diagnosis that he was dyslexic. It was almost a relief; at last we knew what it was and what we could work on to help.

Luckily for us Support for Learning was good at his school and he was being supported most days. I continued to work with him at home and I read as widely as I could on the subject. For a while I was fortunate enough to volunteer at Dyslexia Scotland in their resource centre so had access to all the resources and the knowledge of those who worked there.

Our son made progress; he worked terribly hard everyday and would always be ready for bed at 7pm, exhausted, when his sisters were still up chatting and playing. As a family we did everything we could to keep his self esteem positive. Although he would read most evenings it still was not something he found automatic or enjoyable, quite the opposite at times. He loved stories and would be read to every night or listen to his wonderful Calibre CDs.

His younger sister started to experience a few problems too, but this time everything moved much quicker. Although not dyslexic we were told she was border line and may need some extra support. This she got.

It then seemed no matter how hard our son worked he did not make any more progress. His lovely Support for Learning teacher moved schools and he did not seem to get along with the new one.

It was at this point I turned to tutoring, thinking we could get support outside school. Whilst here I was introduced to Cellfield. My husband and son were also shown the programme on another day so it could be his decision whether to do it. To say I was extremely suspicious of it would be a complete understatement. I assumed that our son just needed more of the same, phonics and reading. Our son, however, decided that he would like to give it a go so at the end of the summer term in P5 he spent an hour a day for 2 weeks working on a computer supported by the staff. It all seemed so simple and actually more enjoyable than many things we had tried. He loved the one to one attention, the challenge and the sense of achievement he got.

By about session 3 we all noticed changes, he was happy to read in the evening and he would read for longer without getting tired. By the 10th session he seemed to be enjoying his reading, but still did not do it by choice. Phase 2 of The Cellfield Programme is very strict that the child must read everyday for at least 10 weeks. For us this was very easy as it was during the summer holidays. By about week 5 he was reading in the hammock! His improvements have continued beyond all our imaginings. He moved schools half way through P6 and we were all so thrilled when we read his school report saying how well he reads.

His sister also worked through the Cellfield Programme and made remarkable progress. Her spelling age improved by years, as did her reading age and her comprehension. She no longer needs Learning Support, but she still reads aloud every night.

I almost missed out on doing Cellfield because I thought it was not for me; it was nothing I had already heard about, it sounded too new and different. Other people, who did not even know about the programme, tried to put me off. However, when I did my research it did make so much sense. It works on the brain's plasticity, opening up the neural pathways. There is so much evidence that stroke victims can alter the pathways in the brain and so can people with dyslexia.

It is very well known in Australia, New Zealand and America, but still fairly unknown in the UK. However, the person who brought Cellfield to the whole of the UK is based in Stirling. It is something Scotland has, but not the rest of the UK yet.

Cellfield is not a magic bullet and it is not a "cure" for dyslexia. It is a commitment in both time and money, but it has certainly changed the lives of my two children, especially my son. He is 11 now and would describe himself as a reader, an avid reader. He reads for pleasure and for information. This is not something that can be said of all 11 year old boys.

When I asked what Cellfield did for him he said "it was like a door opened in my brain and all the fighting battles left and it was all much calmer"

Cellfield in Stirling are very open with their results which they have kept so carefully for 100 plus people who have now been through their doors. Everyone has made progress.

Speaking as a mother of 2 children who have been through the programme it is impossible to put into words the joy and pride I feel every time I see them with their nose in a book. I couldn't ask for more that my children enjoy reading.

Catherine Graham

From Alice-Maree

There needs to be more life savers like you

My name is Alice-Maree and in 2005 I completed the two week Cellfield program. In the six years between then and now I have achieved a lot, I have grown from a child to a slightly awkward teenager and finally into what I suppose you can call a young woman at the ripe age of eighteen. Throughout these years I have had a lot to be proud of however I am writing to inform and even more so thank you for one thing in particular, my education.

I had just begun grade six when my mother and I flew from Melbourne to Queensland for what I can only call the beginning of everything. Of those two weeks I spent at Cellfield there are several things I remember clearly such as it being exhausting, I remember wanting to visit the theme parks but not having enough time, I remember wanting to enjoy the Queensland sun that felt like a privilege for a Melbournian but most of all I remember I wanted to be able to read like my friends back at home more than anything. And so, being the determined little eleven year old that I was, I muted my desire for a regular Queensland holiday and diligently sat in front of the computer to complete the program. I can remember when I realised that the program was starting to work, it became easier to read billboards as my mum and I travelled each day on the bus to the program and while this was only a small step was truly the beginning of all my success.

Upon arrival and being assessed I was informed that my reading level was of a grade two, leaving me four years behind my classmates. Once I had completed Cellfield I was at a grade four level, an improvement of two years, which at the time I had let my immaturities get in the way of enjoying the success, to me I felt like I would still not be normal when I would arrive back at school yet little did I know this was only the start of all the improvement that was yet to come.

Last year in 2011 I graduate high school at our Girls' Grammar School and received my Victorian Certificate of Education. I received an ATAR score of 70.40 which ultimately means that I am in the top 30% of the state of Victoria, I received As and A+s on all of my semester work and Bs and B+s on my final exams. Between grade six and year twelve there have been too many highs and lows to count, tears of frustration and tears of joy, a ton of hard work and always having to go the extra mile only to receive the same result as someone without a learning disability. I haven't only been a high achiever academically, in my final year at school I also took on a leadership position being our Girls' Grammar School's 2011 Performing Arts Captain, along with this I also played Alice in my school's musical Alice in Wonderland. 2011 has been the most challenging year of my life however it has been the year where I have achieved the most and ultimately has be the best year of my short existence.

For 2012 I plan to study a Bachelor of Commerce at university, being able to go to university has always been a dream of mine, one that I wasn't always so sure I could achieve, in fact for a long time I didn't even think I would be able to finish highschool and yet here I am with a VCE certificate in hand and waiting for university offers to come out later this month.

There have been many people in my life that have doubted me, doubted that I had a problem, doubted that I actually wanted to learn and doubt that I would even be in the position I am standing in today. I have been made fun of, bullied and ignored because of my dyslexia and yet these people only push me to work harder and make me want to achieve my goals more than possibly imaginable. The goals I have achieved so far you, the Cellfield Team, are partially responsible for and at the very least you deserve my mere thanks. You have changed my life in the most positive way humanly imaginable. I am a better and more successful person because of the time you dedicated with me, you understood there was a problem and luckily had the right solution to solve it. You are all angels and I can't thank you enough.

I encourage you to keep changing lives as you did mine, there needs to be more life savers like you in the world. Thank you!

Kind Regards
Alice-Maree

From Jenny & Herb Adler

Two Success Stories in One - Anna and Luke
Luke is an unusual little 12 year old. Adopted from Thailand at 7 years old, he seemed to have missed all the usual milestones. Perhaps it was some genetic predisposition. Perhaps it was his IQ (55%). Who knows? We wasted only a little time trying to discover what caused Luke to have no literacy or numeracy building blocks.

We experienced a similar history with our daughter, Anna. She catapulted from still living in a fairy-like state at 14 years old, and having to attend a Special Needs school, and then morphing back to mainstream schooling as a consequence of Cellfield. Anna's focus, observation and knowledge, which normally little children build organically, now came to Anna as a direct result of attending Cellfield three years ago. We recalled how Anna, three years ago, glanced only at the pictures in the aeroplane literature on the way to Southport, Queensland, but read the text on the flight back! The memory of that buoyed me up no end. So we booked Luke to do Cellfield recently and enrolled Anna to do Cellfield again at a higher level.

As parents we look for reasons and excuses. But as parents who have tried an enormous gamut of remedies and therapies to help our children, we are so, so grateful that we ventured once more and invested our time and money and hope in Cellfield.

Luke and Anna have really benefited from the Cellfield program they did in July .

Anna so much that she is the FIRST student to move from a special school to a "normal" school, next year, to do her VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Advanced Learning).

Thank you with all our hearts, Dimitri!

From Danielle

Just logging on to update your contact details for yet another referral. Thanks to Cellfield in 2003 my son James not only improved his reading skills by 2 years in 2 weeks but went on to blitz his School Certificate. He has just completed his first year of carpentry and is on his way to becomming a builder, smiling as he goes, confident and strong thanks to Cellfield. You were the blessing for James and his parents.

From Brad

Its Brad I just got good news, my reading has improved I'm reading at a 12-13 year old.

I had a running record test at school today and that was the result! My teacher told the whole class that my reading had improved from 7-8 year old to a 12-13 year old and the class went WOW!!!!!!!

And I smiled and I'm still smiling

I'm working hard at spelling my words using the left to right rule and reading each night.

I hope that everything is going well up in Christchurch.

Hope you are smiling cuz I am!!

From Marianne Baker

"We are so pleased and we owe a huge amount of this dramatic improvement to Cellfield and Jarrett's Intensive reading class at school.

His school is very impressed at Jarrett's improvement and his self confidence now is just amazing. Jarrett has worked very hard to achieve this result, he has been so committed to wanting to improve his reading and that makes a huge difference.

Thank you again we are so grateful for all your help."

"Jarrett has gone ahead in leaps and bounds. The best thing I have ever done is take him to Cellfield. It has changed his life so much I am so lucky I had the opportunity."

"I also forgot to tell you Jarrett won an award for Excellence in Science and HSIE, at the end of last year. He was so proud and as a parent it actually brought a tear to my eye. Jarrett works so hard and he could not have done it without Cellfield. I can't speak highly enough of your program and your Team!"

From Marguerite Ellis

"Just letting you know that Damon has been making wonderful progress at school, according to both his classroom teacher and the reading teacher.

We feel we owe a great debt to you all, as Damon has really kicked on since doing the program. He has continued his one on one reading and writing lessons at school, three or four times per week. His spelling has improved dramatically as well, and he has recently made a poster about recycling, which has been put up at school. For the first time in his life, someone apart from his mother can read it!"

From Adele

"Cellfield has helped me because I have become more fluent with my reading and I am able to pronounce words better. I am now looking for harder books to read and I feel better in myself because I can now finish a book and remember what I have been reading."

From Adele's Parents

"Cellfield has been a wonderful experience for us as we have witnessed our daughter become enthusiastic about reading.

For the majority of her school life our daughter has not wanted to read and up until this year she has never finished reading a chapter book.

During the Cellfield program she has enthusiastically been reading every night and has asked to have people listen to her read because she is proud of the progress she has made.

She feels more confident because she can now read instructions and the best thing for us is that she has now found an author that she likes and has asked for these books to be included in her Christmas presents. Something that would have never occurred in the past. She is committed to keeping up her reading in the school holidays because she wants to begin next year as she finished this year - on a high!

Thank you to the people of Cellfield who supported and encouraged her and a big thank you to the special 'Ed' teachers at SAC who take a special interest in the children who need extra support"

"Since Ben has been participating in the program I have noticed a significant change in his reading abilities and having a go at words he does not know with more confidence.

Ben has shown a greater willingness to read and reads longer before he makes a mistake and is more fluent. He is showing more expression when he reads and greater interest in what he reads. Ben will now pick up any reading material without being asked and have a go. Ben appears to enjoy reading more and has become more confident in his speech.

Ben's self esteem has greatly improved and he has a newfound confidence when he asks questions.

The change in Ben's approach to reading has not only been noticed by myself but by family and friends."

"I just wanted to drop you a line to show my appreciation for the difference the Cellfield program has made for Mike.

To achieve an improved reading age of nearly two years is sensational and is showing itself in many ways.

Mike's self esteem and belief have lifted, he no longer (always) considers himself stupid and he is feeling more socially competent and happy.

With some relief, I have not considered re-filling his Ritolin prescription this year and at this point feel we couldn't have asked for a much better result.

I wish you all the best for many more referrals and great results!"

"Martin and I would just like to let you know how Sam's doing since going through the Cellfield program 6 months ago.

As you know his spelling age and reading age were way below his average. His interest in reading was almost zero.

Since having completed the Cellfield program we have seen significant improvement in both his reading and spelling. His reading age has improved by a whole year and his spelling by 20 months. These figures are based on your testing him before entering the program and 4 months after. He is now at his own age group level for both, his reading being slightly higher. His level of confidence has increased hugely and he is finding it a lot easier to pick up a book and read to himself.

These changes didn't occur overnight but they have certainly happened. We feel that the on-going support he's received twice a week from Kip McGrath had been a huge help in Sam achieving these results.

We would like to say a huge thanks to you both and your great team for getting Sam to this current level. He will be back next year for more!!!."

"My Grandson, Daniel's first experience at Cellfield as an 11 year old, was notable for the increase in confidence that he received from participating in a course, which encouraged him to try.

Cellfield diagnosed Daniel's problems and identified the cause. The staff of Cellfield gave him the support, encouragement and kindness that he needed. They also gave a realistic report on his actual ability for parents and teachers so that help could be on going. Back in New Zealand some individual teachers were receptive to the Report and it's findings but assistance for Daniel still had to be paid for privately and investigation and conformation of it's findings had to be carried out locally before it was accepted.

Hand eye co ordination improved to such an extent that Daniel was now able to accurately use a gun on a target. His ball skills improved via practices used by his extra curricular teacher following findings identified by Cellfield. It was felt that Daniel was improving and would benefit from a second visit to Cellfield to assist him continue to progress so twelve months later in May 2006 Daniel went to Cellfield for a second course.

Daniel's second trip to Cellfield was mainly to build on the learning foundation already in place and assist his family to gauge correctly his progress. Daniel grew visibly during this second session. He became more confident in his ability to try new things, more mature in everyday life experiences and for the first time volunteered to read to an adult without being forced to do so. He actually enjoyed what he was doing although still below his age group Daniel continues to advance his learning and improve his skills.

Since coming home he has read books to his parents and me given him by his teacher that were recommended for eight year olds. While this may not be great, it is a big improvement from a reading ability of six, which was where he was twelve months ago. He is reading fluently and with encouragement will progress to more difficult books in time.

I do hope all is well with you both and that Cellfield goes from strength to strength as I do realise its value to so many children. I am so glad it is now available in New Zealand as there are so many children falling through the cracks in our education system. I am sure that many of them are like Daniel and only need the right people to set them on the right path. Sharon, your clinician, was so good with Daniel. His confidence grew with each session and he was happy. This was so important as an unhappy child is not receptive to learning.

I cannot thank you enough for what you all have done."

"I am eternally grateful to Dimitri and all his staff at Cellfield. Damon is doing very well, and having weekly lessons using the techniques and readers recommended by Sue at Cellfield.

It will be a great thing for Victoria if the program is run here. Our experience is that the program really triggered something in Damon, and his peer relationships and all aspects of learning have improved remarkably since doing the program. Best Wishes to you all."