The Hon John Howard AC
In May 2010, we met with Australia’s former Prime Minister, The Hon John Howard AC, and we are now delighted to announce that he has accepted the title of “Patron” to our organisation. Mr. Howard has also agreed to attend two Hear For You events / workshops each year sharing his experiences growing up with a hearing loss since the age of nine.
He says: “I warmly endorse Hear For You as an innovative service for young people with severe hearing difficulties. Its aim is to encourage those with such difficulties to overcome them and realise their goals and dreams. I have met the group's leaders. They are highly committed and energetic people dedicated to assist others to surmount their hearing problems."
He has also shared the following story about his own hearing loss:
John Howard, Australia's 25th Prime Minister, was first identified with a significant hearing deficiency during a routine health inspection at Earlwood Primary School when he was aged nine.
The condition worsened in his first two years of university and at the age of nineteen he began wearing one of the older, less effective, hearing aids. He had considerable difficulty at university lectures.
In 1960 and early 1963 he underwent operations which restored a good deal of hearing. As he grew older the condition worsened. He had a restorative operation in late 1985 and for the past fifteen years he has used small, unobtrusive hearing aids which have enabled him to retain reasonably serviceable hearing.
