Beerwah Lions support local lady with hearing assistance dog support
By Sonia Isaacs
SINCE 1982, Australian Lions Hearing Dogs (ALHD) has gifted ‘furry ears’ to hundreds of Australians, thanks to the generous support of donors and Lions Clubs across the country.
Last week, Beerwah resident Robyn Thompson became the latest recipient of this life-changing initiative.
Each hearing assistance dog costs ALHD nearly $40,000 to train, deliver, and support, yet they are provided free to recipients as a gift from ALHD and Lions Clubs of Australia.
Ms Thompson, who lost her husband about 12 years ago, lives alone with diminishing hearing.
Concerned about her ability to live independently, she applied for the ALHD program and was thrilled to be selected.
“I feel incredibly blessed.
I’m still in shock that I was chosen to have a fully funded hearing assistance dog,” she said.
“He’s a beautiful dog, and I look forward to now having him as a lifelong companion who can help me live safely in my home.”
Beerwah Lions Club President Rod Layt expressed the club’s joy at supporting a local resident. “We are elated! To my knowledge, Gumpy is the first ALHD placed with a local Hinterland resident,” he said.
“We are so pleased to have this great Lions initiative support someone in our local community,” he said. Ashleigh Moloney, a trainer with ALHD, introduced Gumpy, an 18-month-old Labradoodle, to Ms Thompson last week.
Ms Moloney travelled up with Gumpy from the ALHD training centre in South Australia and spent a number of days settling Gumpy into his new home at Beerwah.
Trained to recognise ten common household sounds, Gumpy alerts Ms Thompson by gently touching her leg and guiding her to the source.
For emergency alerts, such as smoke alarms, Gumpy signals by lying down, indicating the need to evacuate. Each ALHD placement is supported by a local Lions Club sponsor.
For Ms Thompson, Beerwah Lions members will attend weekly sessions with her and Gumpy to maintain their training standards over the 12-week adjustment period.
For over 40 years, ALHD has provided more than 700 hearing assistance dogs across Australia. Today, with one in six Australians experiencing hearing loss—a figure set to increase to one in four by 2050—the demand for these dogs continues to grow.
For people with severe or profound hearing loss, an Australian Lions Hearing Dog offers a vital layer of support, complementing existing hearing aids or cochlear implants. www.lionshearingdogs.com.au
