Personal connection brings real meaning to Forsyth Barr support

Fifteen years ago, investment adviser Damian Kearns drove his 71-year-old father Daniel from Dunedin to Christchurch to have his cochlear implant surgery, under the care of the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP).

Dublin-born Daniel, an avid sports supporter who emigrated to New Zealand forty years ago, had suffered a major stroke in the mid-90s, with his hearing impacted as a result.

He had tried hearing aids, but Damian says it was a frustrating experience for everyone.

“The loss in Dad’s confidence as his hearing declined was heart-breaking – he couldn’t hear conversations, and he was gradually excluded from some of his circles.

“We realised how important it was for him to maintain his social connections.”

Although Daniel’s implant surgery was successful, Damian says it took his father a while to adapt to the new technology. His favoured means of communication remained an app Damian had introduced him to a few years earlier. It converted a text message into a fax that Daniel could read, and he could reply through the same system, sending a push notification back to Damian.

“The whole thing was a profound experience, both for Dad and for us as a family,” says Damian. “It wasn’t always plain sailing for Dad, but we all learnt a lot and overall, it was hugely beneficial for him.

“Now that I’m a father myself, I can see the real motivation behind Dad’s decision to have a cochlear implant. He did it more for his family – he wanted to create a better life for us all,” says Damian.

Nationwide investment advisory firm Forsyth Barr has had a long-standing connection with SCIP and The Hearing House, and the investment portfolios of their respective funding arms, the Southern Hearing Charitable Trust (managed by a team at Forsyth Barr Christchurch office) and the Cochlear Implant Foundation of New Zealand, managed by Damian and a fellow Auckland-based colleague.

In Christchurch, Forsyth Barr also provides an educational scholarship for a SCIP client to attend a tertiary institution. Please see more information about the scholarship here.

Christchurch office team members

“My personal support of both these organisations comes from my own lived experience,” says Damian. “But from an investment point of view, the CI technology is phenomenal, and it’s exciting to see the life-changing benefits that innovation brings to thousands of cochlear implant recipients.”

Forsyth Barr’s Christchurch and Auckland offices marked Loud Shirt Day with a morning tea to celebrate and raise awareness, together raising more than $3,500 for the cause.  

“Every dollar helps support the amazing work these charities do for young Kiwis living with hearing loss,” says Damian. “We urge other businesses and organisations across New Zealand to get behind them and show their support!”

 To donate to Loud Shirt Day, click the general donation link here: Loud Shirt Day : Donate

Auckland office team members