Babies diagnosed with hearing loss need your help today.

Current times are tough; however, deaf babies can’t afford to wait for the economic recovery. With your help right now, we can break the silence for deaf babies. Please help today. Donate now and help children like Regan...

Regan’s story

Bruce and Colleen were delighted when their first child Regan was born in November 2004. Like all newborn babies in NSW, Regan was screened for hearing-loss. After he had failed to respond to two screenings, his parents Bruce and Colleen took him to the Sydney Children’s Hospital for a full range of assessments. These assessments confirmed their worst fears. Regan was diagnosed as being severely deaf in his left ear and severely/profoundly deaf in his right ear. After a period of shock and grieving Bruce and Colleen launched into action and enrolled at The Shepherd Centre. Colleen tells us their story;

“To find out that Regan was deaf was very distressing. We had so many questions and worries. We looked into all the options available for Regan and decided to join The Shepherd Centre as their goals for Regan paralleled with ours. We wanted Regan to learn how to listen and how to speak with the aim of going to a fully integrated mainstream school when he is school-aged.”

Regan was enrolled in The Shepherd Centre’s Early Intervention Program and had hearing-aids fitted as quickly as possible, at just 6 weeks of age. The family began audiological assessments, auditory-verbal therapy, counselling, parent education and group sessions. Regan was developing well until the family hit more hurdles.

“During his second year, Regan suffered a detectable hearing drop. We tried some more powerful hearing-aids and Bruce reduced his work days to spend an extra day a week with Regan. He put into practice all the techniques The Shepherd Centre had taught him to help Regan learn how to listen and speak. This had an enormous effect on Regan’s spoken language development. Regan was making great progress when just over a year ago, he experienced another drop in his hearing in his right ear. Straight away we enrolled in The Shepherd Centre’s First Sounds Cochlear Implant Program – a joint initiative with Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. We learned that Regan would benefit from a Cochlear Implant. He had his Cochlear Implant surgery last July and has made excellent progress ever since.”

Regan is now a chatty four year-old with a bright future ahead of him. As a result of early diagnosis and early intervention via The Shepherd Centre his spoken language skills are likely to develop to the level of his hearing peers by the time he’s school-aged.

“Regan is progressing really well and is getting cheekier by the day! Last November, Regan’s grandparents came to Sydney to visit for his fourth birthday. They were amazed at how much the clarity of his speech had improved. We’re confident that Regan will continue to make great progress at The Shepherd Centre and will go on to achieve fantastic things.

As a special thank-you to The Shepherd Centre for all of their care and support, instead of receiving big presents at his birthday party, Regan wanted people to donate to The Shepherd Centre. People were happy to give to The Shepherd Centre (along with small gifts for Regan) and we raised about $250. We know just how important this donation will be in helping other families get the support we did.”

Regan, now four years old, is one of many young children whose lives have been transformed through The Shepherd Centre after being diagnosed with hearing-loss as a newborn baby. With the support of people like you The Shepherd Centre was able to help Regan when he was still just weeks old, enabling him to be the chatty four year-old he is today, with a bright future ahead of him.

Every day, newborn babies are being screened for hearing-loss just as Regan was. Every day babies diagnosed with hearing-loss need our help. The earlier we can help these babies, the brighter their futures will be.

Please donate today to enable us to give deaf babies the help they so desperately need.