Which Included
The presentation of the 2025 Dr Harry Blackmore Award to Dr Lar Shur
And
the 2024 Stan Perron charitable foundation/deafness council scholarship to Sophie Acquaro and Lily Ratcliffe
On February 26th, over 70 people attended the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the introduction of Neo Natal Screening into WA.
The evening included an address by Dr Harvey Coates AM, detailing how the dedicated efforts of Otolaryngologists and collaborative efforts of paediatricians, audiologists, teachers of the deaf and the Deafness Council campaigned to convince government to introduce newborn hearing screening to WA in early 2000. A panel discussion moderated by Channel 7’s Geof Parry then discussed the issues and challenges faced during the introduction and ongoing operation of the program. The Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Scholarship was presented by the Chair of the Foundation, Elizabeth Perron, to joint winners in Lily Ratcliffe and Sophie Acquaro. The Dr Harry Blackmore Award was presented to Dr Lara Shur, CEO of the Earbus Foundation of WA. The Hon Martin Pritchard MLC was presented with Honorary Membership of the Deafness Council for the support and assistance he has given to the Council and Deaf Blind, Deaf and hard of hearing people during his time serving in the Western Australian Parliament. Thanks to the John and Bella Perry Foundation for their generous support of the evening.
