Selwyn Times: October 14, 2020

Wednesday October 14 2020 Selwyn Times
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
NEWS 13
Lachie’s loud way to be heard
LACHIE BARTLETT vividly
remembers the moment his
cochlear implant was switched on
for the first time when he was an
eight-year-old.
“My family was behind the
one-way mirror that looked into
the room,” said Bartlett, who is
profoundly deaf.
“I remember Mum saying: ‘Hi
Lachie’ from the other side of the
glass. I smiled immediately. The
next sound I heard was the crying
of my nana and Mum.”
That was 14 years ago.
Bartlett, now 23, has since
graduated with a law degree from
Canterbury University and took up
an exchange opportunity to study
at the University of Nottingham
in the United Kingdom. He now
works in Wellington.
His family lives in Prebbleton.
Bartlett, and thousands of other
adults and children with cochlear
implants, are the focus of loud shirt
day 2020 – a national fundraising
event and awareness campaign on
October 23.
New Zealanders are encouraged
to dress up in their brightest outfits
and hold fundraising events at
workplaces, homes and schools
throughout the country.
Loud shirt day is the annual appeal
of The Hearing House and the
Southern Cochlear Implant Programme
– the only two charities in
New Zealand dedicated to helping
children and adults with a cochlear
implant learn to listen and speak.
Bartlett’s hearing loss was
diagnosed when he was 18-monthsold.
He lost his hearing completely
when he was eight, mid-way
through playing a game of tennis.
“I remember falling over at the
tennis courts and being disorientated,
and my hearing aids just
refused to work. The sudden nature
of my hearing loss was incredibly
scary for me and my family,” Bartlett
said.
“I became a recluse. I wouldn’t
say much, I preferred to be alone at
home and I did not enjoy school.
The loss of my hearing crippled
my confidence and shackled my
ability to continue developing relationships
with those around me,”
Bartlett said.
The cochlear implant has enabled
him to reach his full potential.
“Thanks to my cochlear implant,
I was able to travel halfway around
the world studying and doing my
OE like so many other Kiwis before
me. I now have the ability to choose
whatever path I want to take in
life.”
Surgery and the subsequent
switch-on is only one part of the
cochlear implant process. Patients
need to learn how to use the
technology and interpret the new
sounds through ongoing audiology
and speech and language therapy.
“The switch-on is significant, but
it’s just the first step in a marathon,”
said Bartlett.
“The ongoing rehabilitation and
support from organisations like
SCIP and THH are equally important
but sadly don’t get the same
amount of attention.
“The cochlear implant is like getting
your first car, something that
has endless potential to take you
anywhere, but if you are not empowered
to be able to use it you’ll
just stay stuck in the drive.”
Bartlett regularly participates in
loud shirt day, and encourages others
to do the same.
“The funds raised by loud shirt
day helped me and will help children
and adults in the future to
focus on their abilities – enabling
them to view their disability as an
opportunity, rather than a burden.
You have the chance to change
people’s lives.
“The money raised for loud shirt
day is a direct investment in the
lives of those who want to hear.”
SUPPORT: Lachie Bartlett,
who is profoundly deaf,
encourages others to take
part in loud shirt day to
fundraise for charities
who work with the deaf
community.
Love, Learn and Play
the Freckles way!
OPEN DAYS THURSDAY 15TH and
FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER, 9AM-3PM
Freckles Early Learning Centre is a brand new purposebuilt,
spacious facility in Rolleston with the best and
latest pedagogical experiences. Freckles is built on a
massive 3500m2 site and is licensed for only 70 children
centre-wide.
When owners Tracy and Gavin Summerfield were approached
by the developer of Falcons Landing, Rolleston to build
another centre, they thought long and hard about it. They
had observed a number of new centres opening in recent
years but most seemed to be concentrating on larger licences
with smaller sites. So they decided they would do something
different. Freckles has been designed with children in mind,
with spacious indoor and outdoor areas, enabling children to
explore, identify, negotiate, take risks and create meaning to
learn about the world around them.
Freckles will operate three stage and age appropriate
rooms employing qualified teachers in all environments.
Tracy says their success with the couple’s The Cat’s Pyjamas
Rolleston and West Melton early learning centres is built
on having the best possible staff and this will continue at
Freckles. “We are committed to staffing the new centre with
qualified, passionate and caring people who believe in our
vision, values and philosophy. We know they will have relevant
skills and experience, that they will bring something unique
to our team, and that they will put the children in their care
before anything else.”
The Freckles vision: creating places that are rich in love,
laughter and learning.
“Every decision we make comes from the heart,” Tracy
adds. “Our aim is to provide beautiful spaces that are full of
happy, nurtured and challenged children, where the wonder
of learning thrives.’ “To us, family is everything. We are
passionate about creating early learning centres that offer a
safe, welcoming and nurturing environment”.
Freckles Early Learning Centre provides space and
opportunity for physical play.
Play is valuable for children’s physical development as
they run, climb, skip, hop, jump, throw and catch. Physical
play helps build on children’s fine and gross motor skills,
and having the space to provide swings, bike tracks, fixed
and moveable play equipment is very important for child
development.
YOU ARE WARMLY INVITED to follow our journey as
Freckles develops and becomes part of the Rolleston
community.
Registrations are now open www.freckleselc.co.nz
48 Branthwaite Drive,
Falcon’s Landing, Rolleston
Phone: 0212802446
Email: info@freckleselc.co.nz
Hours: 7.30am – 6.00pm
www.freckleselc.co.nz