How your donations help BHA make a difference

A ListenIn Story: BHA Brisbane ListenIn stories tell of the experiences and challenges people with hearing loss face and how they overcome them. If you’d like to share your experiences and show other people they are not alone, get in touch today.

In the quiet solitude of Fiona’s home, the absence of sound became a source of concern as she struggled to hear her baby’s cries in the night.

A single mother, Fiona faced the challenge of caring for her two young children, navigating the world with a cochlear implant that brought its own complexities.

It can be difficult to know how well your donations are used or if they really make a difference.

Fiona’s story is one of many good news stories made possible by generous community donations of equipment and funds.

Fiona’s primary concern was not hearing her baby cry in the middle of the night.

Finding the right hearing advice

Before reaching out to BHA Fiona asked her OT for advice and posted a question on a deaf and hard of hearing NDIS group.

“There were a few suggestions but none really suitable, the couple of suggestions that would have been, weren’t readily available in Australia,” Fiona said.

“I reached out to BHA in the hope that they would be able to help me find a solution for my problem – I couldn’t hear my baby crying at night despite using a monitor with the volume up high, and the monitor flashing when baby was crying. By the time I woke he had been screaming for a while.”

Fiona had previously had a Bellman visit monitor but had struggled with it and found it ineffective.

BHA’s in-house consulting audiologist, Ellen, spoke with Fiona and determined that a baby monitor linked to a flash receiver and bed shaker was the right solution for Fiona’s concerns. But obviously the issues Fiona had had in the past needed to be identified and addressed.

Donations make the difference

Thanks to generous donations from the community, a bed shaker and flash receiver were among BHA’s small collection of donated Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs), and Fiona was able to acquire a compatible baby monitor via her NDIS funding.

Ellen visited Fiona and helped set up the equipment, troubleshoot it, and test it to ensure it worked. Ellen ensured everything was set up correctly and even called the distributor to troubleshoot the baby monitor’s sensitivity settings.

As the installation took place, Fiona’s excitement was evident as she realised the possibility of peaceful and comfortable nights without needing her implant. Her appreciation for the impact of BHA’s intervention – a lifeline she wished she had discovered years ago when her eldest was a baby – was apparent.

“I am so grateful for Ellen’s help,” Fiona said.

“She didn’t just source me an appropriate solution — she personally came, set it up, and trouble shot it until it worked. If I had had this intervention the first time I trialled this monitor it would have been a different experience. I can sleep soundly confident that when my baby needs me, I’ll be quickly alerted.”

Looking further than just hearing loss

For BHA’s audiologist, it didn’t stop there. We know that hearing loss can increase social isolation and loneliness. Listening to Fiona talk about her lived experience, Ellen realised that Fiona, like many of us, missed a social connection with her community.

Ellen was able to refer Fiona to our Community Connect social groups and assure her that BHA would always be there to support her journey. This intervention, the community groups, and BHA’s ongoing support will help bridge the gap of isolation that Fiona had felt for so long.

Donations are vital

While BHA receives many donations of hearing aids for its Hearing Access Program, it also gets the occasional donation of ALDs, such as wireless monitors, receivers, and alerts. It was through the generosity of one such donation that BHA was able to assist Fiona in getting the equipment needed to ease her concerns.

BHA Business Manager Tony Wheelan urges people to donate unused or unneeded hearing devices and assistive equipment.

“There are many in our community who fall through the cracks of support for people with hearing loss. People for whom new devices are simply out of reach.” Tony said.

“Our Hearing Access Program helps those people access quality devices and professional audiology support through our program partners.”

“This program is not supported by government funding, so we are always asking for donations of quality, second-hand hearing devices.”

As Fiona looks towards the future, she finds solace in knowing she is not alone. With newfound tools and a supportive community behind her, she faces each day with renewed strength and optimism. And in the silence of the night, she has found comfort, knowing that help is just a call away.

Hearing aid and ALD donations

BHA accepts donations of quality used hearing aids and Assistive Listening Devices.

Monetary donations

The organisation also accepts cash donations and is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as a registered charity. Donations over $2 are tax deductible and can be made via Give Now.

Bequests can also be made and are graciously appreciated.

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