Healthy Ears, Better Hearing, Better Listening program supports Professor Kelvin Kong to lead ‘formula one team’ expediting access to surgery for 20 kids

Rural Doctors Network (RDN) was proud to collaborate with, and play a part in enabling, a “formula one team” of surgeons and health professionals led by Professor Kelvin Kong AM to successfully expedite access to ENT surgery for 20 vulnerable children suffering from otitis media and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD) last Monday.  

Professor Kong praised the incredible dedication of his team, describing their commitment as “truly inspiring”, for generously giving up their King’s Birthday public holiday to provide kids from across the Hunter New England area with the care they urgently needed.  

“Today was a powerful reminder of what we can achieve through collaboration, compassion, and community spirit,” Professor Kong announced on his LinkedIn page. “Proud of this team and our partners,” he said. 

Describing hearing loss as a “developmental emergency”, Professor Kong explains that because it’s not life-threatening like a stroke or heart attack, it can be deemed as less urgent and, as waitlists grow, children’s learning, linguistics and development can all fall behind.  

To address this waitlist, two private theatres were run on Monday with Professor Kong emphasising to ABC Newcastle that 20 kids is a “ridiculous amount” to do in a single day.  

“The public holiday gave us an excuse to be able to try and reduce some of the wait lists. 

“It was 10 kids per theatre and with a whole lot of staff …I like to think of it as a Formula One team, really working hard together., everyone doing their part to get through,” Professor Kong told ABC Breakfast host, Paul Culliver. 

“…their speech, their language and their school; they're going to get back on track, which is so important for us,” he said.  

The surgeries were made possible thanks to the Commonwealth Government’s ‘Healthy Ears, Better Hearing, Better Listening (HEBHBL)’ program which is administered by RDN in NSW and ACT to support ear health for Aboriginal children and youth. RDN was successful in submitting a proposal to use funding to allow for the extra surgeries to take place.   

Kelvin also announced “…with full consent, we were able to collect valuable samples that will contribute to our ongoing research into otitis media. This work is crucial for improving future treatments and outcomes.” 

RDN congratulates Professor Kong and the whole team for improving ear health and hearing for these 20 kids while reducing waitlists and advancing research.  

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Learn more:

• Listen to Professor Kong’s full interview here.  (Interview start time:1.38 – 1.45) 
• Learn more about the HEBHBL program here. 

 

Professor Kong also acknowledges ASOHNS - Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Guy Cameron and Olivia Carroll, Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Awabakal Ltd Aboriginal Medical Service, especially Ryan Bass, Karen Gallagher + Healthecare, Rural Doctors Network (RDN), Hunter New England Local Health District, esp. The Maitland Hospital and most importantly, the parents and carers.