ENT Surgeon, A/Prof George Sim, with patient, Jahkye Harris and mother, Nikki Naylor.
Painful ear infections and muffled sounds are a thing of the past for Aboriginal children who have received free grommet surgery thanks to the Djaalinj Waakinj (listening and hearing) Ear Health program.
A partnership involving St John of God Murdoch Hospital, Paediatric Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon Associate Professor George Sim, the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia, and Cockburn Integrated Health, the program has enabled more than 100 free surgeries.
Alongside contributions from St John of God Health Care, staff from the hospital have helped to fund the no-cost surgeries by hosting regular heartfelt fundraisers including cake stalls, book sales, raffles and more!
Our staff in our colourful St Michael’s paediatric ward care for Djaalinj Waakinj patients in a family-friendly environment.
Each surgery costs approximately $2,500.
If you are interested in supporting this outstanding work, contact Jenni Ashton, Director of Mission Integration.
Background data and information about otitis media (OM)
The Djaalinj Waakinj Ear Health program is a research project by the Ear Health team at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccinnes and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia. This research investigated the prevalence of middle ear disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Western Australia’s South Metropolitan area.
The project discovered:
- Over 40% of children had OM at 2 months of age
- 50% at 6 months of age and
- 60% at 12 months of age, with 45% having noticeable hearing loss.
The current wait time for specialist treatment for OM, also known as middle ear infection or ‘glue ear’, can be up to two-and-a-half years. With approximately half of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children affected by OM, the lengthy delay for treatment can result in significant long-term consequences.