Dolphins can make a difference (From Witney Gazette)

Dolphins can make a difference

2:26pm Tuesday 28th February 2006 in Witney By Victoria Owen

THE parents of a brain damaged nine-year-old boy are desperately raising money so he can swim with wild dolphins a therapy they claim could alleviate his condition.

Benoit Doussin suffers severe speech and language delays, and has learning difficulties, compounded by poor concentration.

His mother, Denise, 42, of Heythrop Park, believes swimming with dolphins off Bimini Island in the Bahamas could help the Chadlington Primary School pupil.

In recent years, the therapy has become popular for treating children suffering a range of diseases and disorders, including attention deficit disorder, deafness and cerebral palsy.

Mrs Doussin said: "All I know is that I have done a lot of research on swimming with dolphins and they seem to be able to communicate with children.

"There have been some amazing results, but at the moment, no one has any idea what happens. There are no guarantees for us, but if you never try you will never achieve."

"It takes many years to get a relationship with the dolphins, but when they interact with humans it's very special."

Jackie Connell, founder of Operation Sunshine

Mrs Doussin, her husband Frederic and 18-month-old son Xavier will all accompany Benoit on the £3,000 trip in June, which is being organised by Operation Sunshine a charity offering dolphin therapy to special needs patients and their families.

To raise the money, the Doussins are hosting a presentation and film show in Oxford by medical scientist Dr Horace Dobbs, who has spent almost 20 years studying the positive affects dolphins have on humans with a range of illnesses.

Food for the event will be provided by Mr Doussin, a French chef at the Royal Oak in Ramsden.

Jackie Connell, founder of Operation Sunshine, said: "It takes many years to get a relationship with the dolphins, but when they interact with humans it's very special.

"Last year, we took a group of special-needs patients to Bimini, and after swimming with the dolphins regularly throughout the holiday, they all developed better communication skills.

"What we really want to do now is take families who don't have the support and have to struggle 24 hours a day to look after their children."

Dr Dobbs' talk will take place at Friends Meeting House, in St Giles, Oxford, on Saturday, March 4, at 12.30pm, and tickets cost £2.50 each.

More information about Operation Sunshine is available at www.OperationSunshine.org