News and Stories

2020 was a big year for 19-year-old Siena: amidst a global pandemic, she moved out of home for the first time, settled into life at university college, and started studying to become a midwife. Ultimately working towards the goal of undertaking medicine and training as an obstetrician, Siena’s current studies have given her invaluable experience of life on a busy maternity ward. It’s been a demanding time by any standards, but it’s a chapter Siena said she has relished. “I’m now in my second year of a Bachelor of Midwifery and absolutely love it. I’m very passionate about ...

Sophie may not yet have celebrated her third birthday, but she is already a big help in the kitchen. From her home on the Sunshine Coast where she lives with her parents and older brother, Sophie loves baking up a storm – not forgetting the all-important final task of licking the beaters. Sophie was born with hearing loss in both ears relating to a genetic condition known as Treacher Collins syndrome, as well as microtia and atresia (underdevelopment of the external part of the ear and absence of the ear canal). Sophie wears hearing aids – purple and pink, her favourite colours – ...

Working as an audiologist in a university-based clinic, Roisin Higgins is uniquely equipped in her work teaching students and clients about hearing loss. “I first got hearing aids when I was four years old, which is around when my hearing loss was first diagnosed. It was in December and my new devices really felt like a Christmas present both for me and my family!” recalled Roisin. In the past few years Roisin’s hearing had begun slowly deteriorating again, after staying stable during early adulthood. “It was actually everyone wearing masks during the coronavirus pandemic that ...

For one-year-old Abby, a dog might say, “woof woof” or “гав-гав” depending on the story. Being raised to speak both English and Russian, Abby was a much-anticipated first baby for Sunshine Coast parents Joel and Yuliya. “It’s such interesting times for us as Abby changes so much – every month she shows us something different, and we learn as parents too,” said Yuliya. “Abby always wakes up early, her hearing aids go on straight away, and we all have breakfast together as a family. The rest of our day is usually spent being out in the backyard listening to the ...

For Wayne Saint, there are few better feelings than the freedom of being out on his bike. However, with an increasingly noticeable hearing loss beginning to affect Wayne while cycling on the roads, he knew he needed act with a hearing test to ensure his beloved hobby could remain safe. “All my friends were always telling me, ‘Go get your hearing checked, you need to do something about your hearing’,” said Wayne, age 57. “I ride with a group of people most days of the week and I really enjoy that. But I had noticed that I couldn’t hear the calls from the coaches, ...

A love of storytelling and creativity has come alive for 23-year-old, Kshish. Having graduated from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Kshish took a leap to move from Brisbane to Canberra for a role in digital communications with the Australian Capital Territory government. It’s a job she said allowed her to flex her creative muscles and passion for both reading and telling stories – the foundations of which Kshish credited to the hearing and speaking skills nurtured throughout childhood. Both Kshish and her younger sister were ...

Whether it’s racing around the soccer field, enjoying nature on a camping trip or chatting with mates in the playground, there are few better things for 11-year-old Liam than the sounds of being outdoors. With over half his first year of high school already under his belt, Liam said he was looking forward to the final months of the year being filled with sport, school and some trips to the beach. Liam’s jam-packed schedule in 2021 also includes a fortnightly visit to the Hear and Say centre in Toowoomba. It’s there he undertakes specialised speech therapy known as auditory ...

For 17-year-old Saskia, taking on a mentoring role at Hear and Say’s recent COMET Group Social Skills program has given her time to reflect on her own journey growing up with hearing loss and all she has achieved. “Being able to meet so many children who also had hearing loss at COMET and listen to them share experiences was amazing – I could relate so much to them when I was their age, which told me how important it is for all of us to help each other,” said Saskia. When asked to consider what messages she might have for her younger self and what is important to keep reminding ...

The building blocks of speech and language are set very early in life. Reading to children is one of the greatest opportunities to expose them to lots of different sounds, language and vocabulary, which is particularly important for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Each book read together nurtures the development of a child’s brain, encouraging language growth, early literacy skills and family bonding. Ideally, parents/carers should aim to read at least five books each day to their child. Reading aloud also exposes children to repetitive language, slows the rate of speech ...

As the manager of The Veteran Lounge and the Wounded Heroes OpShop in Brisbane’s inner north, Peter Thatcher was determined to improve his hearing and stay connected with the clients and customers who come through his doors. Peter with fellow Wounded Heroes OpShop colleague, Mrs Jocelyn Slater OAM. “I damaged my hearing early in my army career. I had initially tried hearing aids 10 years ago, but did not persevere with them,” said Peter, age 63. Peter was prompted to visit Hear and Say following a recommendation from a family member of a fellow veteran, who had praised the ...