The Shepherd Centre Giving Day
We need your support today to help give babies born with hearing loss their first words. Our aim is to raise $125,000 to help 125 babies with hearing loss receive the support they need.
Hear:NOW – Give babies born deaf their first words
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![]() Dr Naomi Malone “I was diagnosed as having a profound hearing loss at eight months of age. My parents chose The Shepherd Centre as it offered a pathway to spoken language. I began my therapy in 1974 and graduated in 1977.” Naomi has gone on to have a remarkable life and a truly accomplished career – she now holds a PhD in deaf education and is a leading advocate for disability inclusion. |
![]() Rosie Gallen Soon after Rosie was born, her parents became worried when they noticed she wasn’t responding to sound like her two older sisters. “A specialist confirmed I was profoundly deaf. My family had no idea what to do, but a friend knew Dr Bruce Shepherd. Our lives changed forever once we came across The Shepherd Centre.” |
![]() Fiona & Hamish Fairlie When Hamish was diagnosed with hearing loss, new mum Fiona didn’t have any experience with deafness. Seeing how far he has come since, Fiona is incredibly proud: “Seeing my son succeed as a deaf person in an oral world has meant so much. The Shepherd Centre is such a special place. Their vision of getting children to speak and lead an independent life is so important.” |
![]() Rosanna & Tariq Afiouni Tariq was diagnosed with Microtia Atresia a week after he was born, which meant his outer ear and ear canal had not formed fully in the womb. Rosanna says: “We started at The Shepherd Centre in August 2016. What I loved most was that they offered everything my son needed. I also got so much support from everyone” |
![]() Jett Jett started at The Shepherd Centre in January this year. Grappling with a hearing loss diagnosis amidst the COVID-19 crisis, mum Beth is thankful that her family had The Shepherd Centre to lean on in this difficult time: “The Shepherd Centre has been our home away from year during the last year, and it’s given us hope that Jett will be able to follow in his peers’ footsteps to lead a full life.” |