April 21 saw Sydney drenched by record rainfall, and the launch was moved from outside, as originally planned, to the safety of the NCIE ground floor. Alex Bond, Australian Hearing Broken Hill client, performed a stirring rendition of “This is the Moment”, before Aunty Donna Ingram delivered a warm Welcome to Country.
The Minister for Human Services, Senator the Hon. Marise Payne, lauded Australian Hearing and the good work it does as the nation’s leading hearing specialist and largest provider of government-funded hearing services. Australian Hearing provides subsidised hearing care for aged pensioners, veterans, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders over 50, and children and young adults under 26. The organisation performs over 100,000 hearing screenings every year across Australia.
Bill Davidson, Managing Director of Australian Hearing, introduced Troy Cassar-Daley as a gifted musician and “outstanding ambassador”. As the wind and rain swirled outside, and to the great delight of a hundred or so gathered guests including Michelle Levers, mother of Lachlan Levers, Australian Hearing Dandenong client, Cassar-Daley performed his song inspired by those who are hearing for the first time or are hearing again after living in silence for many years.
“I can see you smiling, I have seen you cry/ I couldn’t hear you even if I tried./ I used to live in shadows from things I feared most,/ People thought that I was a ghost./ But I can hear you now./ And the music that you play, my heart is open,/ Starting from today, you changed my life,/ Beautiful sounds, my world is turned around,/ I can hear you now …” There were tears and smiles.
All proceeds from the sale of the song will go towards an academic award. The “I Can Hear You Now” Award will be used to help fund the educational needs of at least one primary school student and one high school student. Australian Hearing is aiming the Award at primary and high school students, as this is one of the most challenging periods for young people with a hearing loss. Making friends, playing sports and keeping up with school work can be difficult for many young people, and even more so for those with a hearing loss.
Further information about the “I Can Hear You Now” Award will be released in the near future on www.hearing.com.au. Applications will open in June, with the successful candidates announced in August during Hearing Awareness Week.
A very moving film clip for the song has been created by Australian Hearing and captures the beautiful moment when Australians – from newborns to an 85 year-old gentleman – are fitted with hearing aids for the very first time.
