Published Wednesday, 09 May, 2007 at 11:48 AM
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure
The Honourable Anna Bligh
STATE GOVT BOOST FOR HEAR AND SAY’S GLOBAL PUSH
May 9, 2007
An initiative by Brisbane’s Hear and Say Centre will be helping children with hearing loss around the world after receiving a $487,000 State Government grant to kick-start an export operation, Acting Premier Anna Bligh said today.
Ms Bligh said the grant to establish the International Hearing Innovation Centre also would have a bonus for Queensland kids with hearing loss – freeing up space in Hear and Say’s busy Auchenflower Centre and slashing its waiting list.
“This export drive is a fantastic example of pioneering Australian technology making the world a better place,” Ms Bligh said.
“And it has a spin-off for Queensland families. Hear and Say were having to put children, mostly babies, on a waiting list as they did not have the room to see them. This funding is great news for parents and children who now can access the world’s best treatment.”
The State Government grant will be used to support IHIC research and to fit out its new base at the nearby Rivercity Hospital in Auchenflower. IHIC is expected to attract a research and development budget of $20 million as it incorporates the talents of industry giants Cochlear and Siemens Hearing Instruments to identify export opportunities.
The centre also will accommodate Hear and Say WorldWide, the newly announced global professional training project for teams in countries such as Russia, Papua New Guinea and Asia. It had been based at the Hear and Say Centre, which now could be renovated to allow more children to be treated.
Hear and Say Centre Founder and Managing Director, Dimity Dornan, said the IHIC would work as part of a national body, HEARing Co-operative Research Centre for Australia, to investigate the best way of making use of Australian-invented cochlear implant and new digital hearing aids.
“Hearing loss is the most common disability in newborn babies,” Ms Dornan said. “We stand at that point in time where polio was a number of years ago. We now have the ability to decimate the very serious consequences of hearing loss in young children.
“Our research has shown that children on an auditory-verbal education program who use modern hearing technology are able to progress at the same rate in developing speech and language as children with normal hearing of the same language age.
“Hear and Say WorldWide will help us to propagate our Smart State knowledge to other countries so our good news will travel to help many other children with hearing loss who will consequently learn to listen and speak.”
The Hear and Say Centre supports 198 Queensland children with hearing loss using cochlear implants and digital hearing aids in combination with Auditory-Verbal practice.
This early intervention approach educates parents to teach their child to listen and speak. The program has five centres and an outreach program in Queensland.
More information: Deputy Premier’s Office, 3224 6900
An initiative by Brisbane’s Hear and Say Centre will be helping children with hearing loss around the world after receiving a $487,000 State Government grant to kick-start an export operation, Acting Premier Anna Bligh said today.
Ms Bligh said the grant to establish the International Hearing Innovation Centre also would have a bonus for Queensland kids with hearing loss – freeing up space in Hear and Say’s busy Auchenflower Centre and slashing its waiting list.
“This export drive is a fantastic example of pioneering Australian technology making the world a better place,” Ms Bligh said.
“And it has a spin-off for Queensland families. Hear and Say were having to put children, mostly babies, on a waiting list as they did not have the room to see them. This funding is great news for parents and children who now can access the world’s best treatment.”
The State Government grant will be used to support IHIC research and to fit out its new base at the nearby Rivercity Hospital in Auchenflower. IHIC is expected to attract a research and development budget of $20 million as it incorporates the talents of industry giants Cochlear and Siemens Hearing Instruments to identify export opportunities.
The centre also will accommodate Hear and Say WorldWide, the newly announced global professional training project for teams in countries such as Russia, Papua New Guinea and Asia. It had been based at the Hear and Say Centre, which now could be renovated to allow more children to be treated.
Hear and Say Centre Founder and Managing Director, Dimity Dornan, said the IHIC would work as part of a national body, HEARing Co-operative Research Centre for Australia, to investigate the best way of making use of Australian-invented cochlear implant and new digital hearing aids.
“Hearing loss is the most common disability in newborn babies,” Ms Dornan said. “We stand at that point in time where polio was a number of years ago. We now have the ability to decimate the very serious consequences of hearing loss in young children.
“Our research has shown that children on an auditory-verbal education program who use modern hearing technology are able to progress at the same rate in developing speech and language as children with normal hearing of the same language age.
“Hear and Say WorldWide will help us to propagate our Smart State knowledge to other countries so our good news will travel to help many other children with hearing loss who will consequently learn to listen and speak.”
The Hear and Say Centre supports 198 Queensland children with hearing loss using cochlear implants and digital hearing aids in combination with Auditory-Verbal practice.
This early intervention approach educates parents to teach their child to listen and speak. The program has five centres and an outreach program in Queensland.
More information: Deputy Premier’s Office, 3224 6900