To Trudy: Thank you for bring inform & URL that very pleased to bring to
"Ignore" people around Australia to get "impact' them to understand the role
of Deafblind people are !
To Heather & Michelle: Congratulation to both of you to break the "barrier"
the organization of ABLE service & Deafblind of Australia to open to the
world of Australian people to know that much encourage to us DB people in
Australia even to NZ ! through "Project" under Channel 10 !
I have send this message with URL to my relatives and friends !
Surpass the truth of ABLE & DB !
From: dbaust-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:dbaust-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Trudy Ryall
Sent: Thursday, 6 April 2017 10:50 PM
To: dbaust@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [dbaust] Transcript and video of Michelle Stephens and Heather
Lawson
Hello all,
Heather Lawson and Michelle Stephens were on TV last night on the show "The
Project" at 6.30 pm on Channel 10 dated Wednesday 5th April 2017.
Below is the link to the video and the transcript of what was said in the
video.
Trudy Ryall
https://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/the-project/extra/season-8/living-deafbli
nd
Transcript:
The Project Channel 10
April 5th 2017
LIVING WITH DEAFBLINDNESS
Presenter: Imagine for a moment that you're unable to see the world around
you. Now imagine that on top of not being able to see that world around you,
you're unable to hear it too. Well, that's the reality for hundreds of
thousands of Australians currently living Deafblind.
Heather Lawson: When I arrive at Flinders st, I get off the train and I can
feel people passing by. I follow the tactile strips on the ground and I walk
down the stairs. I find the barriers and then once I'm out I can feel that
wind. I can feel people passing by me.
Voice over: Heather can't see the people bumping into her and she can't hear
the cars speeding past because Heather is Deaf and Blind.
Heather: I am Deafblind but I was born Deaf and I grew up Deaf. I coped with
that pretty well. I had vision. Then, later on when I was a teenager around
13 or 14 I slowly lost my sight and I had tunnel vision.
Voice Over: Heather was born with Usher syndrome, which effects both hearing
and vision.
Heather: When I was Deaf I had vision so I could socialize and I was a
really happy girl. I was involved in activities and I could see other
people's signing. But, as I lost my sight it really impacted on my life. I
was frightened and I felt alone because at that time I didn't have any
skills. I had to learn everything again.
Voice over: Heather is talking to us through her interpreters using tactile
Auslan. They'll sign the word and Heather feels it. To Heather, touch is
very important. It's how she communicates with the world and to her friend
of nearly 30 years, Michelle Stevens, who is also Deafblind.
Michelle Stevens: I was born premature and that's how I lost my sight.
Voice over: Unlike Heather, Michelle grew up with minimal vision and, in her
30's, lost her hearing.
Michelle: Due to a lot of childhood ear infections I lost my hearing and I
was one of the early recipients of a cochlear implant.
Voice over: 5months ago Michelle lost her remaining sight and has had to
learn all new skills to cope. She says the reality of losing another sense
was terrifying.
Michelle: At first it was really devastating because I naturally thought
that I would never be able to play the piano again. To a certain extent, I
use music not only as an escape; I use music for a sense of empowerment.
Voice Over: Despite the obstacles Michelle is a professional musician and,
with the help of her cochlear implant, touch and vibration, she continues to
play.
Michelle: The piano has been an absolutely marvelous outlet for emotion. As
independent as I like to think that I am, it can be really REALLY isolating.
Voice Over: There are nearly 300,000 Deafblind Australians with a majority
aged over 65. By 2050 that number is expected to grow to one million.
Heather and Michelle's friendship has been a pillar of support for both
women as they've helped each other learn the skills to stay active in the
community.
Heather: We became friends and we used to catch up and do training together.
I'd go to her house a few times. We do have good and bad days but we support
each other.
Michelle: Heather and I work very closely together. We're always texting
each other about SOMETHING.
Voice Over: For Deafblind Australians, the advent of new technologies like
Braille display text and email has been a breakthrough in communication.
Heather: I use SMS every day and every night. I contact friends, service
providers, and taxis. Before I had that technology I couldn't contact anyone
and I couldn't communicate. Now, it is so much better.
Voice Over: Last year Heather and Michelle combined their experiences for an
immersive performance called Imagined Touch to give audiences an insight
into what being Deafblind is like.
Michelle: Imagined Touch, for Heather and I, was a very empowering
sensation. Heather and I have been able to make sure that people can have a
true understanding of what our life actually is like.
Heather: I don't like people saying "Oh! Poor Deafblind person" or giving
pity because Deafblind people CAN do things. As long as they have support
and are given that support, it builds their confidence.
Voice over: And Heather has gone on to accomplish some remarkable things.
Heather: I've done rock-climbing, abseiling, I've climbed the Sydney Harbor
Bridge, I've done jet skiing, I've sky dived.
Michelle: I really am so fortunate that I've had the time I've had and I've
got through the challenges I've had and I've still got a lot more challenges
to get through.
Presenter 1: Isn't it amazing what full lives they're living? It's another
reminder about break throughs in technology. Most of us think of the
convenience, the day-to-day stuff, but for some people it's transformative.
Presenter 2: But, the human spirit even without technology. The Helen Keller
story is obviously the most famous example, 19months she was when she lost
both her hearing and vision and then went on to finish a Bachelor of Arts
degree. Can you imagine that level of achievement? It's the people at the
heart of that. They don't go missing.
Presenter 3: It's amazing I think for people to see that kind of resilience
and that commitment to not giving up and not saying "You know what? I can't
have a life." They're saying "No. I absolutely CAN have a life that's as
rich and as involved as anybody else's". You see some people who stub their
toe and it's like "Oh!!!!". These people are living without two of our most
important senses. You couldn't imagine living with one and yet they're
having an engaged life and trying the very best that they can. It's
inspirational.
Presenter 4: Also, the power of touch!!
Presenter 2: All that said, stubbing your toe bloody hurts alright??
_____
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