Beryl Driver and Elyse Cole have returned to Pittwater after this year's Variety the children's Charity B to B Bash - Viktorija is flying in from Darwin as this goes to press.
Viktorija McDonell has once again shared some great pictures from the road this year showing not only the long and winding road the Mermaids of Palm Beach have taken but also what Australia is like outside of where we live. Beautiful scenes of people and places captured by this devotee of children are why we share this page with our younger readership. Thank you Viktorija!
Just while we can sneak this out before the lady McDonell spots it, Viktorija McDonell is associated with the Mermaids biggest supporter each year - she is Coordinator of Rehabilitation Cochlear Ltd. Eastern and Central Europe and is also involved in the development of Cochlear new rehabilitation resources, working as a consultant to Andrew Kendrick, the Cochlear Global Rehabilitation Manager in the Cochlear Head Office in Sydney. Professionally as a Teacher of the Deaf, Viktorija was Coordinator of Pediatric Habilitation in Cochlear Asia Pacific from 2000 – 2006.
This story goes back further than the present though - a testimony by her daughter:
'When I was 4 years old, I became profoundly deaf after contracting bacterial meningitis. 30 years ago today, I became the world's first commercial paediatric recipient of the Cochlear implant, the Australian technology invented by Professor Graeme Clark, with my surgery done by Professor Bill Gibson.
There are now hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who have benefited from this incredible technology. It is still extraordinary to me, even after so many years, that a profoundly deaf person like me can hear with the Cochlear implant, and I am forever grateful for this. I am so lucky to have had 30 amazing years (so far) of hearing with the Cochlear implant and I can only continue to offer my profound thanks to all those involved in my hearing journey. In particular, thank you to Professor Graeme Clark and others involved in the invention and development of the Cochlear implant including Jim Patrick, to Prof. Bill Gibson and the Sydney Children's Cochlear Implant Centre, and to Cochlear Limited which has become one of the most loved Australian companies and has been with me every step of the way as they continue to evolve the technology.
And thank you to my parents, to Viktorija McDonell, for having the foresight to make the decision to take a risk in the early days of the Cochlear implant, when everything was new and unknown, so her daughter could have a chance to live a hearing life. That was easily the best decision you ever made!
Holly Taylor
Viktorija McDonell, Prof. Bill Gibson and Holy Taylor (photo pinched from Holly)
That was June 1987. That gives you a small insight into why this lady is so passionate about the children she meets along the way - especially one she caught up with this year.
When we spoke to Beryl Driver on Saturday, August 19th, the lady described the 2017 Variety the Children's Charity Bash, a mere 4871 kilometre journey in 11 days, as;
“Long dusty days – the roads were very challenging.”
On the many outfits the Mermaids donned this year… did they have a support car following them with their wardrobe?
“No, but the car was packed to the ‘gills’ – or rear mudflaps, whichever tail you prefer.” and laughs.
Standout highlight?
"Elyse Cole walking up on stage at the end of this year's Bash to get her 10 year Certificate...."
More HERE
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