“I was lost. I'd never been exposed to the world of hearing loss. The way I coped was going straight into learning and educating myself – but my head was so overloaded with all this information. I didn't know how to process it.” 

Nadia describes her feelings of relief after reaching out to The Shepherd Centre; “it's exactly what I needed. I just remember feeling like I was caught by these safe, warm hands that just shielded everything negative. I wasn't alone.”

Zahra joined The Shepherd Centre when she was just a few weeks old. She underwent surgery to implant bilateral cochlear implants at five months and was “switched on” and heard sound for the first time, at six months.

For five years, Zahra and her family received wraparound care to help her develop crucial listening and speaking skills; this included audiology, counselling, and speech therapy. Zahra also attended group and community programs, including playgroups, music therapy and school-readiness programs to build her confidence and social skills.

Nadia describes how much Zahra loved coming to The Shepherd Centre, “all the staff at the Shepherd centre are so beautiful. They made Zahra’s time there so enjoyable – she really felt like a star! She loved her listening and spoken language therapy sessions. Loved them and looked forward to them. She’d always ask, “How many sleeps till I get to see Yola?!” [her speech therapist].

Zahra started kindy this year, full of confidence. Nadia says, “she was very excited and very ready for school. She is proud of who she is - and was so looking forward to having that independence and being a big girl in the big school.”

Like many parents though, Nadia was conscious that settling in a new environment and making friends can be difficult – but watching Zahra build connections with her peers, Nadia has been deeply proud of Zahra’s emotional maturity and self-trust. “She didn't have the same fears. She’s happy playing on her own if she has to - she took the time she needed to find the people who she was comfortable with, and she found them. She has made good friends and has a little tight circle. That circle, that's what she wants and what she needs. She can express her own thoughts and feelings - she's confident and happy there.”

Nadia believes raising awareness is crucial, both to normalise deafness in the community and to show that simple adjustments to include others make a big difference.

Reflecting on the support her family received, Nadia says “I can't even describe my gratitude. Without The Shepherd Centre, there would be a lost mother figure over those babies. They changed my life. And in changing my life helped me to be a better mum and be better equipped to support my children.

“The Shepherd Centre ensured my kids had the best chance to speak, learn and listen, and attend a mainstream school – to be confident in a hearing world.”