Deafblind Awareness Week 2025 (23 June - 29 June)

Last week, June 23 to June 29, marks Deafblind Awareness Week, observed annually in honour of Helen Keller, whose birthday on June 27 commemorates her legacy as a pioneering advocate for people with disabilities and a trailblazer in the deafblind community.

In a significant global milestone, the United Nations General Assembly has recently declared June 27 as the official International Day of Deafblindness, shining a global spotlight on the achievements and challenges of people living with dual sensory impairment.

The term deafblind refers to the combined loss or impairment of hearing and vision, which can result in profound barriers to communication, mobility, education, employment, and access to services. Deafblindness is a diverse and complex condition, affecting more than 15 million people worldwide. Individuals may have varying degrees of hearing and vision loss, and their needs and experiences can differ greatly.

Deafblind Awareness Week is a time to educate, advocate, and inspire action towards a more accessible and inclusive world. It's also a chance to celebrate the strengths, resilience, and achievements of people who are deafblind, and to challenge misconceptions that may limit understanding, inclusion, or opportunity.

Helen Keller, an American author, educator, and activist, lost both her hearing and vision at just 19 months old due to illness. Through perseverance and with the support of her teacher Anne Sullivan, Helen overcame immense societal and personal barriers to become a global advocate for disability rights and education. Her life continues to shed light on the importance of access, communication, and equity for people who are deafblind.

Here in Australia, we also honour Alice Betteridge, the first deafblind person to be formally educated in Australia. Like Keller, Alice became deafblind at a young age and went on to achieve milestones that helped pave the way for future generations of Australians with dual sensory disabilities.

Hillebrand Shaw & Co at ‘Journey Without Sight or Sound’

On Friday, June 27, members of the Hillebrand Shaw & Co team proudly attended Newcastle’s Journey Without Sight or Sound event for Deafblind Awareness Day.

Hosted at the Newcastle Museum, the event featured a series of interactive sessions designed by the Deafblind community, offering members of the community a glimpse into the everyday experiences and challenges faced by those who are deafblind.

Our team members, Tomika and Corey volunteered their time to help facilitate several activities while members of the community became deafblind by earplugs/goggles, including:

• Touching paint

• Locating dropped coins by touch

• Pouring a drink

• Buttering bread (+ vegemite!)

• Navigating a space using a cane

• Participating in tactile craft activities

These hands-on experiences provided valuable insight into the importance of adaptive techniques and inclusive design, and helped deepen our understanding of the challenges and resilience of the deafblind community.

References:

• https://www.nextsense.org.au/news-and-stories/alice-betteridge-was-our-first-deafblind-student-she-was-also-an-unstoppable-force#:~:text=At%20age%20seven%2C%20Alice%20became,world%20began%20to%20open%20up.

• https://www.un.org/en/observances/deafblindness-day#:~:text=The%20General%20Assembly%20adopted%20resolution,figures%20in%20the%20deafblindness%20community.

• https://www.deafnessforum.org.au/events/june-deafblind-awareness-week/