Gayle Kennedy: Hope Campbell's parents are from Minyerri Community, Northern Territory & North West Tasmania. Hope's portrait is named after her and she says:
Raylene Wing and Dale Campbell (Hope's parents): 'Hope was diagnosed with Otitis Media, which has impacted her hearing and learning abilities. They said ‘We all need to look after our children, they are our future leaders. If they have undiagnosed hearing loss and learning difficulties, they won’t be able to step up and take over as our future leaders.’
Justin Mohamed: Otitis Media is a middle ear infection acquired through poor living conditions, resulting in a fluid build-up behind the ear drum, causing the membrane to bulge and potentially burst. Australia’s Aboriginal communities have been devastated by Otitis Media, which causes hearing impairment that impacts on learning abilities, creating lifelong disadvantage. Some studies suggest that up to 91 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote communities present with Otitis Media. Long-term Otitis Media can have an impact on a child’s speech, language acquisition and learning, as well as leading to behavioural problems, which then affect the child’s social, physical, emotional and educational development. Severe Otitis Media can result in permanent hearing loss. Hope’s parents work for an Aboriginal medical service in the Northern Territory. It's main purpose is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the regions east of Katherine, Northern Territory using a holistic approach, which includes high-standard medical care, the promotion of social justice and the overcoming of sickness that effect so many Aboriginal people in this region. This is done through health clinics and health education, mixing together traditional Aboriginal culture and the best mainstream medicine. Most importantly, the approach involves Aboriginal community people taking part in controlling their own health. Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands. Everything from financial management and governance, staff selection and service delivery priorities are directed by an Aboriginal board and by Aboriginal community health communities.
Gayle Kennedy: Thank you to Gooreng Gooreng man Justin Mohamed. Justin is the Chairperson National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Director of the Academy Of Sport Health & Education.