I’m delighted to welcome you to this latest issue of Shine—and I want to begin by saying a heartfelt thank you! Your wonderfully generous, ongoing support is helping us build on a remarkable legacy. For 165 years, NextSense has been at the forefront of innovation, inclusion, and education for people with hearing and vision loss—none of it possible without the unwavering support of our community.

In this issue, you’ll meet just a few of the lives you’ve helped transform and these incredible stories are a testament to what we can achieve together. Thank you for helping make it possible!

Chris Rehn
Chief Executive
NextSense

When we first opened our doors in 1860, there was little hope or expectation that children who were deaf, hard of hearing, blind or had low vision would ever receive an education. Our founder, Thomas Pattison, changed that—establishing Australia’s first school for deaf children, and just nine years later, expanding to support children who were blind.

Since those early days, we’ve been breaking new ground—from advocating for compulsory education for children with sensory disabilities to pioneering teacher training and founding the Australian Association of Teachers of the Deaf.

From championing inclusive education and training teachers, to launching Australia’s first computerised braille unit and building the country’s largest cochlear implant program, innovation has always been at our core.

Today, through the NextSense Institute, we continue to lead in research, training, and life-changing services for people with hearing and vision loss.

For 165 years, we’ve believed in equal opportunity for all—and your support has made it possible. Thank you.

Seven-year-old Aiden was born with profound hearing loss in both ears and received bilateral cochlear implants at just nine months old. Hearing loss is something his family understands well—his mum, Chloe, has hearing loss in one ear—so they’ve experienced the journey firsthand.

Now living in the small country town of Nabiac, NSW, Aiden attends a local school of just 150 students, of which three students have cochlear implants and several more have hearing aids

Last year, the whole school came together to support children with hearing loss, with everyone donning their most colourful and vibrant shirts on ‘Loud Shirt Day’ and raising more than $500 for NextSense.

Aiden and his family have been supported by NextSense since the very beginning, which, Chloe says, has been “life changing.” And it shows—Aiden continues to thrive like any other youngster. He loves football, swimming, and going fishing with his Pa. At school, his favourite subject is maths.

His grandfather remembers the joy of hearing Aiden say his first words. These days, Chloe jokes that it might be nice if he didn’t talk quite so much!

Aiden’s cheeky, energetic spirit has made him a favourite among his clinicians—especially his audiologist, Maree, who has supported him since 2017.

Maree has seen great progress in Aiden, and he is a perfect example of how, thanks to your support, early intervention with childhood hearing loss makes such a profound difference on long-term outcomes for kids like Aiden.

Not many 10-year-olds have a gold medal under their belt. But that’s just the beginning for champion goalball player Annabeth.

Goalball is designed for athletes who are blind or have low vision, with players throwing bell-embedded balls within a tactile court.

Annabeth has low vision due to Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that can also affect the heart and lungs, and cause weakness in the limbs. This means that building muscle strength and coordination, and learning to maximise the vision she does have, is critical to Annabeth’s independence.

And for that, she has two teams in her corner. There’s her goalball family, which has really taken her under their wing. And then there’s her NextSense team. Annabeth has been working with orthoptist Alison and physiotherapist Christie since she was just six years old to develop her mobility and physical strength and manage her functional vision. Christie has incorporated goalball skills into her sessions with Annabeth, including obstacle courses and goalball-based games. And she’s noticed a big improvement in Annabeth’s strength, confidence and throwing skills as a result of their hard work together.

With the 2025 Australian Goalball Championships on the horizon, Annabeth can be sure that her NextSense team will be cheering her on.

Thanks to your support, kids like Annabeth keep kicking goals—on and off the court.

When Cassidy was just a baby, she received bilateral cochlear implants through NextSense. At three, she began her journey with us at our spoken language preschool, later continuing her primary education at the NextSense School. Every step of the way, Cassidy was supported to hear, learn, and thrive.

Now, all grown up, she’s giving that same opportunity to others.

In 2023 Cassidy graduated from Macquarie University with a Master of Clinical Audiology and after completing a provisional audiologist internship at Hearing Australia she’s now an accredited audiologist.

Her passion was inspired by the audiologist who guided her early years. But volunteering as a school assistant at NextSense School in 2018, working alongside children who are deaf or hard of hearing, was also important in shaping her path.

“I’m incredibly grateful to be supporting others on their hearing journey, just as I was supported by NextSense, especially by the early intervention team, audiologists, and other allied health professionals when I was a little girl. To any young person with hearing loss, I’d say: Don’t let it be a barrier to your goals. You can achieve anything.”

Cassidy’s journey—from a child learning to hear, to a young woman ready to change lives—is only possible because of the support NextSense receives from people like you.

Thanks to a generous $54,871 grant from Freemasons SA & NT and Port Darwin Lodge 41, NextSense Darwin is now equipped with state-of-the-art audiology equipment. This vital upgrade—a clinical audiometer and tympanometer—enhances our ability to deliver world-class cochlear implant care in the Top End.

Our Darwin team currently supports 69 cochlear implant recipients, including 25 children and eight First Nations clients, with numbers expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The new tools allow for more precise assessments and ongoing care, ensuring each implant delivers the best possible hearing outcomes.

Thank you for giving more Territorians access to life-changing hearing care, close to home.

10,730+ clients supported last year

5,685+ people supported by our cochlear implant program

1,240+ children supported through our early intervention and therapy programs

3,600+ children received diagnostic audiology services

1,858 days of continuing professional education delivered