Member story

  • Member story – Fish finger

    Hi, I’m Heather. I want to introduce you to my little friend Fish Finger! Whenever my fingers get tired of reading braille, my darling friend Fish Finger helps me lighten the mood. He’s much more clever than I am, and very good at reading braille! I learned braille over 35 years ago, and it has…

    Member story – Fish finger
  • Member story – Robert & photography

    Hello, My name is Robert Lokmer. I love taking photos! The bright LCD display on my camera makes it hard to see, so I changed the background to a black colour. I use the Zoom function to make the image closer. I’ll show you. I enjoy taking photos at Deafblind Victoria activities, such as the…

    Member story – Robert & photography
  • Deafblind guest speaker Jael from USA

    Today 15th Feb 2023 at Deafblind Café, 15 Deafblind people were introduced to new member Jael, who is also Deafblind and has moved to Melbourne from Texas, USA. Jael talked about the services available for Deafblind community in the States. Funding for supports in America varies, depending on which state you live in. Jael worked…

    Deafblind guest speaker Jael from USA
  • Member story – Jeanette’s cat Bobyn

    Hello everyone, hope you all are well. I just wanted to tell you little story about my cat Bobyn. My friend gave me kitten, very cute, I fell in love with her. Then 6 years ago, when my husband Frank was in palliative care, my daughter told me that Bobyn was deaf. I was surprised…

    Member story – Jeanette’s cat Bobyn
  • Medical trial – new drug for Usher Syndrome RP

    DBV member Joseph Heenan visited DBV today to share news about a medical trial that he is involved in. Doctors are testing a new tablet to see if it can help stabilise Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) for people with Usher Syndrome. In the video, Joseph talks in Auslan about the trial. A transcript is below. Joseph…

  • International day of People with Disability – Dec 3

    December 3 is the United Nations’ International Day for People with Disability (IDPwD), a day to increase awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. To celebrate IDPwD, the ABC has a wonderful project to tell stories by and about people with disability across ABC Online, Radio, TV and iView. One of the stories told…

  • Gina Pontelandolfo’s story about macramé and crafts

    I’m Gina and I have Usher Syndrome. Now my eyesight is getting worse, things look foggy. I had an operation two years ago but my eyes have changed. It’s sad. However, my hobby for many years has been doing craft – macramé, mosaic, knitting, crochet, etc. I love making different things with my hands and…

  • Member story – Maree Heenan and swimming

    Some of you may or may not be aware that there are many inspirational people with Deafblindness in the world. What a pleasure to see another inspirational story about a Deafblind woman in Victoria who is one of our DBV members, Maree Heenan. She is well known in the Deafblind community.  Here is an amazing…

    Member story – Maree Heenan and swimming
  • DBV member tells Kokoda story in Hireup video

    DBV’s Joe Monteleone used “Hireup” to support him in walking the Kokoka Track. “I’d been told that I couldn’t. People said it’s just going to be impossible. I really had to ignore that negativity and try and overcome the barriers and prove them wrong.”- Joe The Hireup website has the full story with a video…

    DBV member tells Kokoda story in Hireup video
  • Social isolation is not new to us – Podcast with DBV’s Heather Lawson

    Heather Lawson was invited to participate in an interview for a podcast program which was two minutes long with John McKenna – “So.. podcast”. It was published on Friday 3rd April 2020. It is called “social isolation is not new to us”. The episode featuring her is episode number 13. There is an Auslan translation…