Motivation
The motivation for Olivia Gemmell to set up Hear For You originates from a personal experience.
Olivia never forgot an emotional encounter 10 years ago in the waiting room of Chatswood Hearing Centre in Sydney.
"I was having one of my regular hearing tests. A mother who had just learned that her baby's hearing was impaired approached me with tears in her eyes. Having seen my hearing aids, she was desperate for reassurance and support from someone who had experienced hearing loss that her child would lead a relatively normal life. All I could do was say 'It will be okay. Your daughter will lead a normal life, just like I do.'
My mother who was with me said it brought back all the emotions she experienced at the time I was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. This experience has remained deeply ingrained in me".
Olivia's research has revealed that when a child is diagnosed as deaf, the issues parents are most concerned about are:
- will my child lead a relatively normal life
- will my child achieve their academic potential
- will my child find fulfillment and happiness
- and will my child find friendship and love in relationships
It is for these reasons, and also after experiencing the highs and lows of the teenage years, that almost a year ago Olivia began setting up Hear For You.
