Haf Taith Fawr y Dyn Bach

-*

-I'm James Lusted.

-I'm 24 and I have Diastrophic

-Displasia, a rare form of dwarfism.

-I live at home with my parents

-and brother Phil.

-Phil has the same condition as me.

-I don't allow my disability

-to hold me back.

-In fact, I hate the word disabled.

-In this series, I'll travel Wales

-to meet other disabled people...

-..to experience life

-through their eyes.

-Subtitles

-I'm here to research

-various disabilities.

-In Eco'r Wyddfa newspaper...

-..I came

-across a girl called Haf Thomas.

-Over the years, she's raised

-a great deal of money for charity.

-I've researched her condition,

-Down's Syndrome.

-It says here, "Reduced muscle tone

-leading to floppiness.

-"Eyes that slant

-upwards and outwards.

-"750 babies are born with

-the condition each year in the UK."

-I'm looking forward to chatting

-to Haf's parents and family.

-I want to find out

-about the support they received...

-..when Haf was born.

-When my brother and I were born...

-..no-one knew about our condition.

-I hope to meet Haf before long.

-I want to know more about her life.

-My name is Haf Thomas.

-I live in Llanrug with my family.

-Every Monday, Haf catches a bus

-to work from her home in Llanrug.

-There's one at 8.10am...

-..and another one straight after it.

-I love going on the bus.

-On the weekend...

-..sometimes

-I go on the bus to Caernarfon.

-Down's Syndrome

-causes learning difficulties...

-..sometimes severe, sometimes mild.

-Haf's philosophy

-is that anything is possible.

-Her family and community

-encourage her every step of the way.

-It's time for Haf to clock-in at

-the council offices in Caernarfon.

-I've been here for 19 years.

-It's great to come here.

-The people are nice

-and they're good friends.

-Hello, good morning. Can I help you?

-Yes?

-Hiya, Miriam. Are you OK?

-I answer the phone...

-..use a computer and shredder,

-and count envelopes.

-I enjoy everything.

-Everybody likes me.

-I make friends.

-I've got old and new friends.

-I've got a lot of friends.

-See you later.

-Haf delivers the post

-to the various departments.

-She loves saying hello to everyone.

-She's a great colleague! You never

-know what she'll come out with!

-She knows what she's doing.

-Her daily routine

-takes place like clockwork.

-Hiya, girls. Are you OK?

-Did you have a nice weekend?

-Haf even raises money in work.

-Her latest project is stamps.

-I'm collecting stamps.

-There's a person

-who's responsible for the stamps.

-They collect the stamps

-on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

-The money we raise goes to

-Ysbyty Gwynedd's Macmillan charity.

-I've arranged

-a fundraising Christmas concert.

-We started as a small group

-in the reception area.

-It got bigger and bigger and bigger.

-We rehearsed during

-our lunch breaks...

-..fair play to everyone.

-We had to decide

-where the money would go.

-We considered various charities.

-We finally decided on one charity.

-Music is close to Haf's heart,

-especially Westlife.

-There's a place for them in work,

-too.

-I have loads of Westlife calendars.

-There are two here

-and I have some at home, too.

-I met them in the Faenol Festival.

-They were nice lads, lovely!

-I went to their farewell concert.

-I was crying.

-Yes.

-Haf works half days.

-She has lunch every Monday

-with her colleague, Eiriona.

-What do you fancy?

-What do you fancy?

-

-What are you having?

-I think I'll have

-a tuna sandwich on brown bread.

-And me.

-OK.

-And a glass of water.

-Ideal.

-Ideal.

-

-Great.

-Monday lunchtime

-is the highlight of my week.

-I love hearing her stories -

-she leads an interesting life!

-She goes places

-and does different things.

-I went to the hairdresser.

-Do you like it?

-Very nice.

-If I'm in a bad mood...

-..Haf walks in

-and lights up the place.

-Life would be empty without her.

-Sandwiches?

-Sandwiches?

-

-Oh, lovely! Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

-Chin-Chin.

-Cheers.

-What else did you do this weekend?

-What else did you do this weekend?

-

-We started filming. It was exiting!

-I was thinking about you

-and knew you'd be excited.

-I was a little nervous to start.

-If anyone deserves it, that's you.

-If anyone deserves it, that's you.

-

-Thanks! You're a fantastic friend.

-If mates...

-If mates...

-

-Mates for life.

-Come on!

-I don't know many people

-with Down's Syndrome.

-I wondered to what extent

-Down's Syndrome has affected her.

-I'm going to meet Haf.

-Haf lives in Llanrug.

-I'm really looking forward.

-I hope we'll have fun,

-chatting about our lives.

-I want to find out

-what her hobbies are.

-Here we are.

-Hello?

-Hello. How are you?

-Fine, thanks. How are you?

-Fine, thanks. How are you?

-

-I'm great, thanks.

-I'm James. Nice to meet you.

-I'm James. Nice to meet you.

-

-And you.

-There you are.

-There you are.

-

-What are you doing?

-I'm making cards.

-I'm fundraising

-for various charities.

-I've received an order...

-..from a friend

-who works with me in the council.

-Would you like

-to make cards with me?

-Yes!

-Yes!

-

-This is what I do.

-These could be Easter cards

-for your parents.

-Thank you.

-When did you start designing cards?

-When did you start designing cards?

-

-2007.

-I go to a friend's house every

-Friday night and make them with her.

-We have a lot of fun.

-You use special equipment.

-This is sharp, so be careful.

-Thanks. Do you raise a lot of money?

-We collect a lot of money.

-My favourite charity

-is Wales Air Ambulance.

-Because I've raised so much

-money for Wales Air Ambulance...

-..they took me up with them.

-Really?

-What was that like?

-What was that like?

-

-It was fantastic.

-Haf has plenty of fundraising ideas.

-The 5p project

-was the most successful.

-Haf placed 100 collection boxes

-all over Wales.

-She raised 22,000 in 5p pieces.

-Why do you want

-to raise money for charity?

-I want to help people,

-that's what I want to do...

-..to raise as much money

-as possible for various charities.

-How much have you raised

-over the years?

-Altogether...

-..43,000.

-It's almost 44,000.

-Brilliant.

-You make cards every Saturday.

-Yes.

-You're an inspiration.

-It's a pleasure to make the cards.

-Like me,

-Haf enjoys all sorts of sports.

-She loves competing,

-wrestling and football.

-Who do you support?

-Who do you support?

-

-Liverpool.

-I'm Manchester City.

-I'm Manchester City.

-

-Oh, Manchester City!

-They won last year.

-Yes!

-Were you shouting at the television?

-I had a few drinks!

-I won't say what, mind.

-I like wrestling.

-I sometimes go

-to the wrestling in Cardiff.

-My brother and I watch that, too.

-My brother and I watch that, too.

-

-Great! Who do you like?

-We like The Rock and The Undertaker.

-Who's your favourite?

-My hero is John Cena.

-The Thomas family

-are a close family.

-Haf loves going on trips

-with her parents, and family life.

-Do you enjoy

-living at home with Mam and Dad?

-It's great to live here.

-Would you like to live on your own?

-No. I like being

-at home with my family.

-Do you help Mam in the kitchen?

-Do you help Mam in the kitchen?

-

-I wash the dishes.

-When Mam is cooking,

-I'm there to wash the dishes.

-Well done. What do you enjoy most

-about your life?

-That's a hard question.

-I enjoy every moment.

-In part two, I'll meet Haf's

-family to find out more about her...

-..and the difficult time

-when Haf was born.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Haf likes to keep fit and healthy.

-Her father often takes her

-to the local leisure centre.

-Ta-ra.

-Ta-ra.

-

-Enjoy yourself.

-I will.

-I'm in the gym in Caernarfon.

-I like coming here

-to do a little bit of everything.

-It makes me breathless.

-I get tired and my legs go stiff.

-I like coming here.

-Weakened muscles

-is a symptom of Down's Syndrome.

-Thyroid problems are also common.

-It can lead to weight issues.

-When I want to lose weight,

-I drink green tea.

-It aids weight loss.

-It's healthy to drink...

-..and I love it.

-After an hour in the gym...

-..Haf returns home

-for a cuppa with her parents.

-Hello, Mam!

-I was just making a brew.

-I'm parched!

-Parched, are you?

-Yes, please.

-And something small to eat.

-And something small to eat.

-

-You want jam on it!

-How did it go in the gym?

-How did it go in the gym?

-

-Great.

-I went on everything.

-On the different equipment.

-You have to start swimming again.

-You swam to raise money

-for Pendalar School.

-The new school. That was fantastic.

-How many lengths did you swim?

-65 lengths.

-A mile.

-That was some distance!

-Are you enjoying the tea?

-Very nice.

-Do you want a biscuit?

-Haf lives life to the full,

-with the support of her family.

-It wasn't so easy

-for her mother and father.

-When she was born, the news

-of her condition was a shock.

-Haf was born on a Wednesday.

-She was taken to the Special Care

-Unit because she was under weight.

-That's what I thought.

-The following day, I asked

-when Haf could come to my bedside.

-They didn't say much.

-And then, a doctor asked to see me.

-I went to see him.

-Only the doctor and I

-were in the room.

-He gave me a huge shock...

-..only me, on my own.

-He said, in English...

-"..I wanted to tell you

-that your baby has Down's Syndrome."

-You can imagine how I felt.

-Haf was in the Special Care Unit

-because of her weight.

-I could see her

-through the glass door.

-She had a round face,

-and looked like Ann's father.

-He had a round face.

-I said to Ann,

-"She's just like your Dad."

-I went home.

-I was in work on Thursday...

-..when the hospital rang.

-They asked if I could go there,

-so I went.

-A nurse came to meet me

-in the corridor of the hospital.

-"Are you Mr Thomas?" she asked me.

-"Yes," I replied.

-Tears began to fall down

-her cheeks.

-I can see her now.

-She said, "I'm sorry."

-"What's wrong?" I asked her.

-"Your little baby is Down's."

-I went to see Ann straightaway.

-As you can imagine,

-she was heartbroken.

-After seeing Ann...

-..a paediatrician asked to see me.

-I sat down.

-He began to discuss Down's Syndrome.

-I only heard negative points...

-..that we'd have to feed her

-until she was seven or eight...

-..she'd be in nappies

-until she was ten, and so on.

-Only negative things.

-I remember driving from Bangor.

-I had to contact work.

-There were no mobile phones

-back then.

-I stopped at a telephone kiosk.

-I noticed

-the windscreen wipers were on.

-It wasn't raining.

-I realized what it was...

-..my face was wet.

-I was in shock.

-In time, Haf's parents began

-considering having more children.

-But they feared the same thing

-could happen again.

-The doctor mentioned

-a test I could take...

-..to make sure everything was OK...

-..and that the same syndrome

-wouldn't be repeated.

-I went for the test.

-Everything was fine,

-there was nothing to worry about.

-Ffion, Haf's sister,

-lives in Cardiff.

-She comes home as often

-as possible and they're both close.

-Haf is my big sister. We have

-a normal sisterly relationship.

-We've been treated the same...

-..even though Haf is different.

-We've always

-had a close relationship.

-A recent highlight

-was Haf's 40th birthday.

-Ffion arranged her sister's party.

-We were on the train, remember?

-We had a laugh!

-We jumped

-on the train in Caernarfon.

-From Caernarfon to Dinas.

-Do you remember what happened there?

-Here's a photo of you and the girls.

-Haf has developed

-into a popular girl.

-As she grew older...

-..we realized her gifts

-outweighed her disability.

-She lives as normal

-a life as is possible.

-That was our approach

-to bringing her up.

-This had happened.

-We'll raise her as we think is best.

-And that's what we did.

-I remember something Haf told me.

-She enjoys every second of her life.

-That struck a chord with me.

-We have to appreciate everything.

-It's brilliant to see

-someone who has been accepted.

-The last time I saw Haf, she

-challenged me to a game of pool.

-I'm going to Llanrug for a game.

-Snooker and pool

-are some of her favourite sports.

-She's been to a number

-of tournaments and met the stars.

-I hope we'll still be friends

-after the game! Hello, Haf.

-Hello, James. How are you?

-Hello, James. How are you?

-

-Fine, thanks.

-Are you ready for the challenge?

-Are you ready for the challenge?

-

-Yes! Are you?

-I hope it'll be a friendly game.

-Thanks. Do you want to break?

-You go first.

-You go first.

-

-OK.

-Do you ever compete?

-Only when we go out for a meal.

-If we see a table, we go for a shot.

-Well done. The first one's in.

-You're on the stripes.

-OK.

-Oh, dear!

-Don't worry. You've got another go.

-You like winning.

-I like winning, yes.

-If Dad beats me, I sulk!

-Have you got any tips for me?

-Concentrate on the ball.

-Keep your eye on the ball.

-I'll try that now.

-Keep your eye on the ball.

-It's close!

-It's close!

-

-Luckily for me, Haf's tips worked.

-You've snookered me.

-Great shot.

-You've won.

-You've won.

-

-Thanks.

-Do you want another game?

-Do you want another game?

-

-OK.

-Spending time with Haf

-has been an emotional rollercoaster.

-Her parents had a hard time

-when she was born.

-But Haf has been accepted

-by the community.

-No-one has ever made her feel

-that she was different.

-S4C Subtitles by Gwead

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