The annual Gift of Hearing Appeal dinner was held last Thursday in the beautiful Perth State Buildings. The evening was a testament to the unwavering support of our community of dignitaries, donors, board members and staff.
First off, stunning musical trio Dolce Ensembles greeted guests for pre-dinner drinks. Once seated, Event MC Alexander Circosta invited everyone to close their eyes and listen to a mix of sounds that set the tone for an evening that focuses on how generosity contributes to improving the lives of many through better hearing.
After Associate Dean Professor Chris Lawrence delivered a rousing Welcome to Country, Ear Science founder Professor Marcus Atlas commenced the speeches, providing the audience with a research update covering multiple areas of focus.
Next up was COO of Research David Sly announcing the institute’s new five research themes and Research fellow Christo Bester who explained how delving into the experiences of cochlear implant recipients helps inform his research.
Our incredible CEO Sandra Bellekom’s presentation touched on many of the institute’s recent achievements but also provided the audience with real insight into how the support of donors is helping people to hear better, from Indonesia to the East Pilbara.
Amongst the beautiful backdrop and the venue, raffle tickets and silent auction bids were available to the crowd, whose generosity meant we surpassed our fundraising goal, to arrive at over $2.24 million in donations.
Our newest partner BHP was recognised, as the company will be providing significant funding for our Healthy Hearing Outback program to further improve ear and hearing care and treatment to Indigenous Communities.
Countless thanks to our donors and sponsors, and to all the Ear Science staff who made the evening such a huge success.
