Did you know that over 90% of deaf or children with hearing loss are born to hearing parents? For most families, the diagnosis is unexpected, and the journey ahead is full of unfamiliar challenges. But with the right support, no family has to walk alone. Let me share with you the journeys of two extraordinary children and their families—stories that have moved us deeply and show the hope and strength that can grow from even the hardest beginnings. The first is about a little girl, Mary, who at just six months old was diagnosed with meningitis. The illness left her with hearing loss, but it wasn’t discovered until she was four years old. For years, her world was far quieter than it should have been. She was fitted with hearing aids at four, and by five, she came to our Early Education and Training Centre for speech therapy. When I first met her, she had barely any words to share her thoughts with her family or classmates. And yet, her determination shone through—she was always trying to communicate, using gestures, sounds, and expressive looks to reach out, even when words couldn’t fully express her needs. Her mother, from a low-income background, carried an enormous sense of guilt and uncertainty. She had high hopes for her daughter, but the road ahead was full of unknowns. Facing various hearing assessments and navigating the educational system, she felt overwhelmed and alone. And this is where the power of teamwork changed everything. Our team worked closely with doctors and audiologists to explore all options for Mary, including the recommendation of cochlear implant surgery to improve her hearing. At the same time, we facilitated visits to suitable special schools, ensuring Mary and her mother gained a thorough understanding of each step and decision. Thanks to everyone’s commitment, Mary was able to transfer to a school with specialized support. There, she finally had access to teachers who understood her needs, therapists who could help her grow, and a community that believed in her potential. Today, Mary is thriving—using sentences and signs, laughing with friends, and sharing her ideas with her family. Her mother’s guilt has been replaced by hope and pride, and now her daughter truly has a voice—one that is heard and valued. The second story is equally powerful. Another young girl, Kate, came to us with a significant hearing loss present since birth. Like so many, her condition went unnoticed until later. When she arrived at our Centre, she had a limited vocabulary of single words—her world of expression significantly smaller than her world of ideas. Kate’s mother collaborated closely with our team, and we assessed Kate's specific needs and provided tailored individual and group training, which included auditory rehabilitation, speech, language, and fluency. What moved us most was the humility and gratitude of Kate’s mother. She told us that although she came for her daughter’s sake, she ended up learning resilience from her child. It was her daughter’s perseverance and determination that inspired her to grow stronger as a parent and as a person. These are the reasons our work at the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf matters. As the largest NGO in Hong Kong supporting the Deaf community, we walk with families every step of the way. We provide audiological assessments, speech therapy, educational support, counselling, and guidance on hearing aids and cochlear implants—not as individuals, but as a team, supporting each child and family together. Most importantly, we help every family find the meaning of communication. Not every child will speak. Not every child will sign. What matters is that they are understood, included, and respected. That’s why your generous support is incredibly important. Your donation helps us reach more families and individuals with hearing loss. Together, we can create a world where children with hearing loss are seen for their promise, not their limitations. To learn more about our work or to make a donation, please visit our website at www.deaf.org.hk. As I close, I want to dedicate a song that has brought comfort and courage to so many—“You’ll Never Walk Alone”by Gerry & The Pacemakers. Its message is one of hope, solidarity, and community: no matter how hard the road or how fierce the storm, we walk forward together, and no one is left behind. That’s what we believe—and that’s what we work for, every day. Let’s build a Hong Kong where every child’s voice—in whatever form—truly matters.