Seasons Greetings
Earbus Foundation wishes all its supporters, friends and colleagues a very peaceful and happy Christmas holiday season and we look forward to working with you all again in 2017. This year has had so many highlights and is without doubt Earbus Foundation’s most successful year to date. Most gratifying of all has been to see the vast improvement in ear health among the hundreds of Aboriginal children in the Goldfields and Pilbara regions we visit every month.
In Spring 2016, both regions were under the World Health Organisation “pandemic” benchmark of 4% for the first time and there are huge reductions in the number of children suffering avoidable hearing loss.
We gratefully acknowledge our many financial donors and sponsors with especial mention of the incredibly generous donations from Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and the Neilson Foundation, and the continuing support of our valuable corporate sponsor AngloGold Ashanti.
Thanks to all of you who make our journey enjoyable, inspiring and so rewarding.
Our Valuable Partnerships
We are fortunate to have such wonderful partnerships and in 2016 we worked with our friends and colleagues at Wirraka Maya and Bega Garnbirringu Aboriginal Medical Services to achieve the outstanding results detailed above. Starlight Captains came all the way from Outer Space to help us, and closer to home Rotary Club of Karrinyup fundraised, designed and built a magnificent off-road Earbus that debuts in 2017.
Our partner hospitals in the Newborn Hearing Screening program were welcoming and supportive as always – St John of God Hospitals at Subiaco, Bunbury, Murdoch, Mt Lawley and Geraldton; Ramsay Hospitals at Joondalup and Glengarry. The schools and daycares across the Goldfields and the Pilbara who welcomed and supported us – it’s impossible for us to work without your help. Our sincere thanks to you all.
A huge shout out to Richard, Naomi and the Orba Travel team who kept us on the road with their superb service. Awesome guys!
Healing Hands
During 2016 the Clinical Team comprised 8 ENTs, 6 GP or Nurse Practitioners, 4 Audiologists and 1 Nurse. These remarkable, dedicated clinicians are a joy to work with. On behalf of Paul, Lara, Ian, Dee and Rhonda our THANKS for joining us on the road and making this so much fun!
ENTS – Harvey, John, Anton, Jen, Gunesh, Jafri, Shane and David
GPs and NPs – Karen, Deirdre, Sally, Maggie, Marigold and Belinda
Audiologists – Suzanne, Ana, Nina and Helen
Nurse - Judi
Thank You To Our Volunteers
Volunteers who gave their time and expertise: Angela, Kerry, Debra, Megan, Isabella, de Rene, Ramona and Alvin.