About Deafblindness

Stories

This section of Deafblind Information Australia is dedicated to the stories of people living with vision and hearing impairments – whether from the perspective of the individual, their family or one of their carers right through to the teachers, therapists and the wider community involved in someone’s life.

It may be their experience and their personal achievements.  It may also be about their frustration or their difficulties in accessing what they need to fulfil their life choices. More often than not, the personal journey that is documented is more powerful than a library of text books.

You may choose to write a short article, you may want to add a captioned photograph or upload video footage.

Note to readers: Sometimes words or images can cause sadness, distress, or trigger traumatic memories. For some people, these responses can be overwhelming. Support is available. For immediate options in Australia contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. For less immediate, but longer term peer and therapeutic supports, there are also Deafblind specific support groups and services. See Deafblind Information Australia Support Groups webpage and Deafblind Information Australia Find Services webpage

 

Stephen

When setting my goals I gave some thought to the supports I need to live independently in my own home, and also to access the community and live an ordinary life.

Sharyn

My story begins in 1967. At the age of three and the third child of three, I was diagnosed with a mild sensori-neural hearing loss along with my six year old eldest brother.

Lib

Profoundly deaf and fitted with a harness containing two large microphones the size of small, thick coasters, the harness went over my head with the speakers on my chest and strapped at the back, with two speaker wires trailing up to my ears where they were attached to small earpieces that sat in my ears.