Past Graduates

Billie aged 11

By Billie’s mum Jan

Billie and mum Jan

Billie was diagnosed with hearing loss when she was 3 years old. Her parents Jan and Michael brought Billie to The Shepherd Centre’s Sydney Centre where they began an Early Intervention Program. When she was almost 6 years-old Billie entered a mainstream kindergarten. Her development was and continues to be astounding.

Discovering Billie had a hearing-impairment was a big shock for us. When we found out about The Shepherd Centre, we decided to go to their Sydney Centre and enrol Billie in an Early Intervention Program.

Once there, The Shepherd Centre entered us into a network of children and parents, who were all going through the same experience as us. We soon started Billie’s Early Intervention Program, and began auditory-verbal therapy sessions which focused on teaching Billie how to listen and speak. In the sessions, Michael and I learnt how we could seize every opportunity in day-to-day life to help to teach Billie to listen and speak. We read together a lot and I’m quite a talker! So her speech quickly started to develop.

We attended playgroup sessions at The Shepherd Centre every week. These sessions were a good opportunity for us to mix with other children and parents dealing with the issues we were facing. We also attended various workshops and seminars at The Shepherd Centre, which were led by experts in the field of hearing-loss, such as ear, nose and throat specialists.

The Shepherd Centre has made the world of difference to our family. It has helped us to realise that hearing-loss is a very manageable disability and has given us the knowledge that we needed to cope and move forward. It also made Billie understand that she wasn't alone and helped her to confidently mix with both hearing and hearing-impaired children.

Billie is in year 5 at her local mainstream school and is doing really well, both socially and academically. She has played several sports including baseball and soccer, but music, tennis and drama are what she has stuck with over the years.

It's fantastic to see her getting involved in music. Billie has always loved listening to music, especially when we're on road trips as there are plenty of sing-a-longs in the car! But, playing music is her recent passion and of course I'm really encouraging that. She is singing in the choir, playing the recorder, and now wants to take up the saxophone. She also really wants to learn drums but I'm not sure the neighbours in our apartment block would share her passion!

Billie is doing really well at drama and she loves the opportunity to step out of the real world through acting. However, whilst she enjoys fantasy, she's quite the realist and currently wants to be a forensic scientist. She enjoys science and taking part in the Veronica James Science Challenge. But, she has many ambitions and dreams, and is also very keen on going to the Newtown School of Performing Arts for High School, and pursuing an acting career.

In September 2008 Billie spoke to an audience of over 340 people including celebrities and politicians at The Shepherd Centre’s prestigious Australian Father of the Year Awards. It seems she has since developed a real taste for public speaking and life in the public eye. Nick Fordham, Raul Roos' agent was at the awards and after being impressed by her public speaking skills offered her some work experience with the Executive Producer on the Today Show. She jumped at the opportunity and had a tremendous time.

Nick told us, "Billie’s communication skills for someone her age are nothing short of brilliant, not to mention the hurdles she’s faced during her time at The Shepherd Centre."

It meant a lot to us when Billie stood up in front of so many people (not to mention the cameras at the press conference) and did her speech so well. The time spent teaching Billie to listen and speak properly in those early years is obviously paying off. As her mum, I don’t mind what career path she takes, but it’s nice to know she can confidently pursue virtually anything she wants.”

The Shepherd Centre has helped Billie to cope very well with her disability - it hasn't held her back at all! I have a bright and interesting child on my hands - what more could a parent ask for? I’m very proud of my little girl.

Billie will soon be doing a voice-over for a video at The Shepherd Centre and is showing a real interest in media and public speaking. She’s also just earned herself a place in the Australian Youth Choir. Watch this space Australia!