As well as raising a family and playing an active role in her community, Shona teaches sign language and works at a residential care home in Whanganui.

Here’s Shona’s story in her own words.

I have been deaf since I was born and grew up mostly in a hearing environment.

None of my family, seven brothers and sisters, or parents are deaf so it has always been a challenge for us to all keep in touch. My husband is also deaf and we have two grown up children who are both hearing. Now that I have two grandchildren, and one more coming, I am very keen to be more involved with their development. I do spend a lot of time with them and would really enjoy being able to participate more fully in their activities. It would also be useful if I could talk on the phone so they can contact me easily when needed.

My work at a local rest home where I have worked for twenty three years is now a senior role where I am required to train new staff and attend monthly meetings with management to report on our department, order supplies and co-ordinate maintenance on commercial machinery that we use.

It is essential that I am able to understand fully and communicate effectively with many different people. I know a cochlear implant would be really beneficial to me in my work environment to facilitate these roles more ably. 

My husband and I both enjoy socialising with family and friends, hearing and non-hearing. We are both members of the deaf club which is located in Palmerston North (one hour drive away). We attend this every three weeks. We are both very active sports people, enjoying pool, darts and Indoor Bowls and travel to compete with other clubs, both hearing and deaf. Although I feel I am a valued employee and staff member being deaf can pose problems and misunderstanding from time to time.

In recent years we have also joined a caravan club where we are the only deaf people. It is fun but often very challenging trying to communicate but I am keen to continue this and all the other members are very friendly and try hard to communicate with us and involve us in all their activities such as raffles and group walks. We spend evenings around a campfire just socialising and I think having a cochlear implant would help me participate and be able to share my sign language skills to help the group understand the importance of learning a few basic signs.

Since 1998 I have taught NZSL to the Wanganui Community through the Wanganui Community Education Service and over the past few years have taken a group at Hearing Wanganui. I really enjoy sharing sign language with a wide range of people from our community. I like meeting new people and see them develop an understanding of not only our sign language but more about the deaf culture.

- Shona Beamsley

Find out more about Cochlear Implants here.