The National Foundation for the Deaf has today launched a GiveALitttle page for a little girl – along with a plea for backup from an ad agency who gives a damn.
“We are a charity and cannot afford to use ad agencies, and we are very limited in our capacity for relationship building,” says ceo Louise Carroll, who has a big remit – the care and welfare of 700,000 New Zealanders who are deaf or hard of hearing.
If you can help, contact her at Louise.Carroll@nfd.org.nz or at 021 076 6990.
The GiveALittle page aims to raise funds for at least 50 pairs of hearing aids and remote microphones for children living with Auditory Processing Disorder.
The page is fronted by Sophie. “Sophie’s life has dramatically changed for the better since her family realised the health system was not going to pay for the hearing aids and remote microphones she needed and they mortgaged their home to purchase them,” says the blurb.
“Before her family did that, Sophie was a solitary figure observing life from the side line whereas now, she is going from strength to strength. She raises her hand to answer questions at school and doesn’t need to constantly look around to try and figure out what is happening around her. She is no longer exhausted by the stress of trying to understand the classroom environment and has become a popular girl in her class, often leading the play. Sophie is now on the path to being a successful student as she is able to hold her own educationally with her peers.
“Sophie, aged six, is one of a number of children in New Zealand with hearing loss caused by an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) which affects their ability to hear, learn and have a happy and carefree life that every child deserves.
“Imagine if you will, the children whose families are not in the situation of being able to mortgage their homes to purchase the hearing aids and remote microphones they need? Sadly, there are hundreds of children that can’t get the support they need through the New Zealand health system. They are caught in the politics and we say enough.”
Louise Carroll said: “It’s a tragedy and an indictment when a national charity needs to step in to fundraise for hearing aids and remote microphones for children with any type of hearing loss.”
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