Hear and Say

04/08/2025

“He couldn’t even babble at two… now he’s Student President.” 🎓
When Vivek was diagnosed with profound hearing loss as a baby, his parents were devastated. But their faith and a leap of courage moving from India to Australia, led them to Hear and Say.

With cochlear implants and years of speech therapy, Vivek found his voice. He joined debating teams, played music at church, spoke at national conferences and last year, was elected Student President.

“I’ve never felt less than my hearing peers,” Vivek says. “Hear and Say gave me the confidence to communicate and opened the world for me.”

To read Vivek’s full story 👉 https://hearandsay.org.au/viveks-journey/

25/07/2025

It’s time for another 'Meet the Team'! Each month we spotlight someone from our organisation who helps children and families hear, listen and speak. This month, meet Kirsten—our Gold Coast-based speech pathology clinician 🦋

🎤 Kirsten - What inspired you to become a speech pathologist?
I was working as an I.T. programmer and just felt like I was working to make companies money and felt like I needed to work in an area that could help people instead. When researching Speech Pathology, and what it entails, I really felt drawn to the role and had an immediate passion for it.

✨ What’s the most rewarding part of your day?
Watching a child become more confident, and less frustrated, in their communication.

🌿 What’s something people might not realise about your role?
Something surprising about my role is how fast I’ve become with using scissors (a quick turnaround between clients means learning to quickly cut crafts in preparation for the next client) and also how varied our role can be.

Every month we will be profiling a different Hear and Say staff member.
Thank you again Kirsten, so much, for being this month's participant! 💙

21/07/2025

Thank you Archibald and Oliver’s Hearing Journey for trusting us with precious Oliver's journey 💙
We can't wait for him to have his world opened to the beauty of sound! 🦋

We have dates!

August 26th - implant surgery day! This will be done at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Oliver will stay in over night.

September 3rd - switch on day! This is when the processors will be turn on and our precious boy will hear his first real sounds. This will be done at Hear and Say Ashgrove.

45 days 🦻

14/07/2025

At Hear and Say, we've spent decades helping children with hearing loss learn to listen and speak 🦋
Now, we're proud to offer speech pathology services for all ages and a wide range of communication needs - from speech sound delays and language development to social communication and more.

Whether you're seeking support for a toddler, teen or adult, our experienced team is here to help people communicate with confidence, for life.

📍Available at our centres across Queensland; Brisbane, Gold Coast, Rockhampton, Townsville and Toowoomba.

🔗 Learn more: https://hearandsay.org.au/get-in-touch/locations/speech-therapy-brisbane/

11/07/2025

🎓 Thinking about your next step after uni?

Our speech pathologists Vivienne and Isabelle had a great time at the this week chatting to students about what it’s like to work at Hear and Say and how you can kickstart your career with us!

We’re currently recruiting Graduate Speech Pathologists to join our team in 2026, with roles available across Queensland.

Looking for supportive mentoring, meaningful work, and a team that genuinely cares? We’d love to hear from you!

📍 Learn more and apply by visiting https://hearandsay.org.au/about-us/join-our-team-hear-and-say/ or emailing hr@hearandsay.com.au

09/07/2025

09/07/2025

🎉 33 Years of Transforming Lives Through Sound! 🎉This week marks an incredible milestone - Hear and Say celebrates 33 years of opening doors to a world of sound for children with hearing loss!

From our humble beginnings on July 6, 1992, with just six children and a dream to change the options available for families, we've grown into Queensland's leading hearing and spoken language service. What started as Dr Dimity Dornan's vision to bring auditory-verbal therapy to Queensland has blossomed into a lifeline for thousands of families.

✨ Our Journey So Far:
- Started with 6 children, now supporting hundreds across Queensland
- Expanded to centres in Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton & Townsville
- Pioneered telehealth services reaching regional and remote families
- Helped introduce Universal Newborn Hearing Screening in Queensland
- Built our world-class Brisbane centre in 2015

Today, we continue to be inspired by the bright eyes of babies discovering sound for the first time, the dedication of families on their hearing journey, and our passionate team who provide hope when it's needed most.

From all of us at Hear and Say - thank you to every family, supporter, and team member who has been part of this incredible 33-year journey. Here's to many more years of helping children with hearing loss learn to listen and speak! 🦋

06/07/2025

Thank you Corrine McMillan MP - State Member for Mansfield for the warm welcome to the Upper Mount Gravatt community 💙

Thank you also for the message to Speech Pathologists! If you know someone who might be a great fit to work at our new centre please send them our way by emailing hr@hearandsay.com.au 🦋

This week I had the pleasure of welcoming Sharon and her fabulous team at Hear and Say to our community.

I'm so happy to have this organisation close by whose vision is a world where everyone has the ability to communicate, connect and live their best lives.

Specialising in Speech Pathology and Hearing, Hear and Say cater for all ages from newborn babies right up to adults.

Sharon also mentioned that they are currently on the lookout for Speech Therapists to join them here at Upper Mount Gravatt.

If this sounds like you, please reach out to Sharon for more information.

Welcome to our community 🙌

06/07/2025

During NAIDOC Week, we acknowledge the strength, culture and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and we also shine a light on the health disparities that still exist.

Did you know Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children experience some of the highest rates of otitis media (middle ear infections) in the world? In some remote communities, up to 91% of children are affected. This can lead to hearing loss, impacting speech, learning and future opportunities.

Let’s work together to close the gap in ear and hearing health. 🖤💛❤️


📷 Image credit: Hearing Hub / Macquarie University

30/06/2025

We’re proud to share that our clinicians Lynda Farwell and Emma Rushbrooke, recently presented at the AG Bell Global LSL Symposium 2025 🌍

Their session, Collaborative Care for Better Outcomes, highlighted how working together across disciplines leads to stronger results for children with hearing loss and their families.

It’s an honour to contribute to this global conversation, and to learn from others equally passionate about listening and spoken language 🦋

27/06/2025

Maddie and her twin brother, Hamish grew up with the support of Hear and Say after being diagnosed with hearing loss as babies.
Now, more than 30 years later, Maddie is back, not as a patient, but as a parent. Her daughter Leila has the same diagnosis and is receiving the same support from Hear and Say that Maddie once did.
Hear and Say have supported this family for over thirty years, and many more families all across Queensland.
With the end of financial year fast approaching, your donation can help children like Leila thrive for generations to come.
👉 Donate now: https://bit.ly/4jxt5yv

25/06/2025

👋 Welcome to the first post in our new monthly “Meet the Team” series, where we shine a light on the passionate people behind Hear and Say. From audiologists to speech pathologists, each month we’ll share a story from one of our team members, giving you a glimpse into what drives them, the challenges they face, and what brings them joy—both in and out of work.

🎤 Breanna - What inspired you to become a speech pathologist?
I was always drawn to both English and Biology in high school. Language, communication, anatomy, and physiology all fascinated me. When I discovered speech pathology combined these interests, it felt like the perfect fit.

🌿 What’s the biggest challenge, and reward, of working in a regional centre?
Long waitlists for ENT services in regional Queensland can be frustrating, especially when they delay progress for children. But the rewards outweigh the challenges. At Hear and Say, I get to build strong, lasting relationships with families. What I do is not just therapy – it’s a journey. The smile on a parent's face when their child hears a sound for the first time, or hearing that a first word has come from something we practised together, is why I do what I do.

🎸 How do you spend your time out of work?
When I'm not at work you can find me sitting at my sewing machine, strumming on my guitar, or baking some brownies.

✨ Stay tuned next month as we continue the series and introduce more of the amazing people Hear and Say team across Queensland.