Young Thirlmere local wins inaugural ‘I Can Hear You Now’ Australian Hearing award.
Elle Hessey, 11 years old won this award winner thanks to her positive outlook and go-getting attitude that really impressed the award selection panel.
The award was established by Australian Hearing Ambassador, Troy Cassar-Daley. The iconic Australian singer and songwriter donated all proceeds from downloads of his song I Can Hear You Now to the academic award, which will support one Australian primary and one high-school student with a hearing loss in 2015.
At just two months of age, Elle was fitted with her first pair of hearing aids and a year later she received her first cochlear implant. Paediatric Audiologists Kate Wilson and Lauren Foran and the team at Australian Hearing Wollongong have supported Elle’s hearing journey over the years.
“It’s incredible how resilient Elle is. She is just keen to get on with life and pursue her interests,” said Kate Wilson.
On top of a hearing loss, Elle also suffers from tinnitus (a constant noise or ringing in the ears) and has overcome many obstacles that a hearing loss can bring. But it was her cheerful, no-nonsense approach to life and eagerness to help others that made her an ideal recipient for this award.
Elle, a student at Wilton Public School said, “I don’t think my hearing loss has affected me at all, I am just like the other kids at school.”
Elle wants to be part of what school has to offer. She brings FM technology to her classroom (the student wears a receiver and the teacher attaches a small microphone to their collar) for extra help in noisy environments. At school this year she successfully auditioned for the Southern Stars dance group; won her age group cross country event and entered a writing competition.
Elle won $3000 to spend on furthering her goals at school and says the first thing she will spend it on is a laptop computer so she can do assignments on it and a printer that scans. Also, if she has enough money left over, Elle will purchase a wireless modem so she can access the internet from home.
