SCIC Cochlear Implant Program, an RIDBC service

New sounds to delight Nathaniel

Toys help Ashton engage with his world

The RIDBC uarterly Spring 2014

How the year flies by. I’m delighted to announce the launch of our new SCIC Cochlear Implant Program, an RIDBC service. This follows the completion of a merger between SCIC and RIDBC. Whilst our organisations have been working together for some time, our focus is to bring comprehensive cochlear implantation services to Australians and improve access to this exciting and life changing technology. The merger also helps reduce costs across our services and ensures your generous support goes even further than before.

In July, we officially opened RIDBC’s new service in Liverpool. This new site has been specially designed to meet the need for vision and

hearing services in the busy south western area of Sydney. Many families are already taking advantage of our quality, accessible services from this new site and we look forward to supporting many more children, families and adults over the years to come.

Also in this edition you will read about Ted and Dot, our most recent RIDBC Rainbow Lottery winners. Dot used to work for RIDBC and knows firsthand how important our services are to those in need. The couple have donated to RIDBC through the lottery for many years, so we extend our thanks and congratulations to them both!

If you’re a regular reader of my updates you’ll recognise that I love innovation and creativity. Featured in this

Quarterly is Ashton, who attends RIDBC Early Learning Program (Vision Impairment). His mum now makes toys for children with vision loss that are accessible and tactile, giving them to other families with similar needs as well as selling them to raise funds for RIDBC.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in RIDBC. It is exciting being part of an organisation that has the privilege of working with adults, children, and their families, and being part of the road to success. Thank you for the important role you play in supporting our work.

Chris Rehn RIDBC Chief Executive

A look at Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) this quarter.

From the Chief Executive

COCHLEAR IMPLANT PROGRAMA n RIDBC s e r v i c e

Announcing...

Cochlear implants have given Nathaniel access to a whole new world of sound

New sounds to delight NathanielNathaniel, from regional Queensland, will be two years old in September. He is receiving support from RIDBC for his hearing loss.

Diagnosed with hearing loss at birth, Nathaniel was fitted with hearing aids when he was eight weeks old.

“Nathaniel has a syndrome which causes hearing to deteriorate,” said Jodee.

“Our family chose to access RIDBC as they supported our philosophy of offering both speech and sign language support, ensuring Nathaniel would always be able to communicate – even without his hearing aids.”

Nathaniel now accesses RIDBC Teleschool, which supports families in regional and remote areas of Australia using high-quality videoconferencing technology.

“When Nathaniel seemed to be struggling to connect with the sounds around him, a

test revealed his hearing had deteriorated,” said Jodee.

“The new diagnosis meant he was eligible for cochlear implants and I will be forever grateful to RIDBC who coordinated it all. Without RIDBC we would have had to wait for up to six months to get them - he would have missed so much language! With RIDBC we only had to wait six weeks.”

Nathaniel’s two cochlear implants were ‘switched on’ in August 2013. They are now ‘mapped’ for sound to optimise Nathaniel’s hearing via RIDBC’s remote telemapping service.

“With RIDBC, we don’t have to travel to Brisbane every week for the mapping and we don’t have to relocate to a big city to access the right services. Everything happens

from home,” said Jodee.

“Now, with his cochlear implants, Nathaniel listens to everything. ‘Switch on’ really is the right phrase. His concentration levels changed overnight as he no longer has to try to take in everything visually. If an implant comes loose he even tries to put it back on himself!”

Nathaniel’s future now looks even brighter.

“Nathaniel saw more specialists in his first 12 months of life than most people see in their lifetime,” said Jodee. “Now, every week Nathaniel makes such progress. We’re excited and he’s excited because he can come out with new words and sounds. His face lights up. I don’t think of my son as having a disability, he’s just our little guy with extra hardware.”

RIDBC Rainbow Lottery Manager, Gerard Lee, welcomes Dot and Ted during their visit to RIDBC

The couple have long been friends of RIDBC. Both teachers, Dot worked for RIDBC during her twenties.

“I first started supporting blind students when I was in high school,” said Dot. “I visited the public library near RIDBC and noticed there were no braille books, so I started using my lunch breaks to transcribe children’s books into braille. Nothing was electronic back then so I had to use a stylus to create the dots – and teach myself braille at the same time!

“It was such gratifying work, knowing that the children would be able to read without relying on someone else to read to them.”

Dot and Ted both thoroughly enjoyed returning to RIDBC to visit.

“Dot’s instinct for community service has always been there,” said Ted. “Coming back to RIDBC has been mind-blowing, seeing how the organisation has grown – as

has the need for its services.

“Technology really is changing everything. To think that Dot used to manually imprint braille into books and now you can just use a printer!”

The couple, married for 60 years, will use their winnings to do some repairs around their house. To buy lottery tickets, call 1800 043 411 or visit ridbc.org.au/lottery.

Long-time supporters win lottery RIDBC Rainbow Lottery winners, Ted and Dot Hamilton, have been supporting the lottery for more than 22 years.

Qantas Pathfinders Charity FlightThis year the flight is travelling to the beautiful Norfolk Island.

Norfolk Island boasts a wealth of natural beauty – from the beaches, to the world heritage listed convict site and, of course, the iconic Norfolk Island pines!

‘Paradise’ was the word Captain Cook used to describe the island, but come and make your mind up for yourself!

Saturday 13 September, $950 pp with $600 tax deductibility. Call 02 9872 0329 or visit ridbc.org.au/charityflight.

RIDBC Rainbow Lottery Manager, Gerard Lee, welcomes Dot and Ted during their visit to RIDBC

The couple have long been friends of RIDBC. Both teachers, Dot worked for RIDBC during her twenties.

“I first started supporting blind students when I was in high school,” said Dot. “I visited the public library near RIDBC and noticed there were no braille books, so I started using my lunch breaks to transcribe children’s books into braille. Nothing was electronic back then so I had to use a stylus to create the dots – and teach myself braille at the same time!

“It was such gratifying work, knowing that the children would be able to read without relying on someone else to read to them.”

Dot and Ted both thoroughly enjoyed returning to RIDBC to visit.

“Dot’s instinct for community service has always been there,” said Ted. “Coming back to RIDBC has been mind-blowing, seeing how the organisation has grown – as

has the need for its services.

“Technology really is changing everything. To think that Dot used to manually imprint braille into books and now you can just use a printer!”

The couple, married for 60 years, will use their winnings to do some repairs around their house. To buy lottery tickets, call 1800 043 411 or visit ridbc.org.au/lottery.

Long-time supporters win lottery RIDBC Rainbow Lottery winners, Ted and Dot Hamilton, have been supporting the lottery for more than 22 years.

Qantas Pathfinders Charity FlightThis year the flight is travelling to the beautiful Norfolk Island.

Norfolk Island boasts a wealth of natural beauty – from the beaches, to the world heritage listed convict site and, of course, the iconic Norfolk Island pines!

‘Paradise’ was the word Captain Cook used to describe the island, but come and make your mind up for yourself!

Saturday 13 September, $950 pp with $600 tax deductibility. Call 02 9872 0329 or visit ridbc.org.au/charityflight.

SCIC Cochlear Implant Program, an RIDBC service

Australia’s largest and most comprehensive cochlear implant program, setting new benchmarks and delivering the highest level of care and support at every stage of the cochlear implant journey.

COCHLEAR IMPLANT PROGRAMA n RIDBC s e r v i c e

On 1 July 2014, SCIC and RIDBC joined forces to provide Australia’s largest and most comprehensive cochlear implant program for children and adults with significant hearing loss.

“This merger brings together two great Australian charities, strengthening Australia’s largest cochlear implant program, with fully integrated cochlear implantation, rehabilitation, therapy, education and early intervention services,” said RIDBC Chief Executive, Chris Rehn.

The new program provides an expanded suite of cochlear implantation services and a more comprehensive program tailored to meet an individual’s specific needs and stage of life.

“This is a great outcome for all people who are currently

accessing cochlear implant services and for the many children and adults who would benefit from a cochlear implant,” said Chris. “We now have more locations across Australia and can deliver our ongoing support services remotely, giving even more Australians access to this life changing technology.”

The SCIC Cochlear Implant Program is a service of RIDBC and is available for both adults and children.

The program can be provided as a discrete service for people of all ages or integrated with other RIDBC services, such as; early intervention programs; education services; and speech, vision and occupational therapy sessions.

Our team has a wealth of experience working with

children, young people, adults and older adults to achieve the best possible outcomes.

“Existing clients of the SCIC or RIDBC cochlear implant programs will continue to receive the full range of services that they currently access, both now and into the future,” said Chris.

Together, we are setting new benchmarks in cochlear implantation services. We are investing in clinical excellence, professional development, technology, infrastructure and research programs, and forging close ties with other organisations in the cochlear implant field.

For more information, call 1300 658 981, visit ridbc.org.au/scic or email scicadmin@scic.org.au.

Toys help Ashton engage with his worldAshton has been receiving services from RIDBC Early Learning Program (Vision Impairment) since he was six months old.

Mum, Renee, with Ashton and his RIDBC Consultant, Maria, using a toy with light interaction to help Ashton engage

Ashton’s parents, Renee and Greg, noticed something was wrong with Ashton’s vision when he was just three weeks old.

“An ultrasound found a mass,” said Renee. “He had a tumour and needed surgery, but there were complications. Ashton had a severe stroke and lost the entire left hemisphere of his brain.”

Ashton is now two years old and has no vision in his left eye, low vision in his right, as well as significant additional disabilities.

“Regular early learning sessions with RIDBC are helping Ashton make the best use of his remaining vision,” said Renee.

“We’ve learned so much, like how to position him with the light behind him so he can get the most out of his

eyesight, and the best toys to help him learn.”

Learning about toys for children with vision loss sparked Renee’s interest.

“When Ashton was diagnosed I realised there weren’t many appropriate toys – he needed black and white or high contrast toys as well as sound or light,” said Renee.

“I started making these little balls made of differently textured fabrics, with balloons and bells inside. Ashton loved them and now I sell them to support The Ashton Binskin Foundation and RIDBC.”

Renee’s passion has been infectious, with other mothers lending a helping hand with sewing.

“People just want to give back,” said Renee.

RIDBC Consultant, Maria Lupton, said Ashton is doing well.

“Whilst coping with all of Ashton’s frequent medical appointments, his family have responded to input and suggestions from RIDBC with great enthusiasm,” said Maria.

“Since he started with RIDBC, Ashton is making great progress. The latest – he is now mobile and can bottom shuffle to move towards his favourite toys!”

Renee said it hasn’t been easy, but the family focus on the positives.

“It’s been eye opening. In hospital there is always someone far off worse than us,” said Renee. “Really from the beginning we’ve had RIDBC. Ashton loves his lessons and we all feel so supported, it’s fantastic!”

QANTAS Pathfinders Revue

Join this hilarious, high energy show for a night of laughs. Book early to avoid disappointment as the final nights sell out fast.

Tuesday 14 - Saturday 18 October, $40 pp, North Sydney Leagues Club at 7:30 pm.

1 September tickets on sale: ridbc.org.au/revue

Horizon Committee Oaks Day

Enjoy this fabulous lunch and fashion parade, featuring design by Moss & Spy and Philadelphia Philpot Millinery.

6 November, $110 pp, Amora Hotel Ballroom, Jamison Street, Sydney

Bookings: Colleen Keys 0400 522 629

Blackmore’s Sydney Running Festival

Run for RIDBC! Hit the pavement and fundraise for a worthy cause in the Blackmore’s Sydney Running Festival, 21 September.

Call 02 9872 0324 to find out more.

For more information visit ridbc.org.au/events or call 02 9871 1233

facebook.com/ridbc twitter.com/ridbc

Have fun and raise funds for RIDBC this quarter!

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