It’s a tough time for charities at the moment who rely on annual fundraisers to top up their coffers.
But a four-year-old in Waihi who has had a cochlear implant, is starting a shout-out for Loud Shirt Day.
Friday marks the day the fundraiser supports the thousands of New Zealanders living with cochlear implants.
Kamady Tawhara underwent open heart surgery at six months of age, and a year later received a cochlear implant.
Her mother Dee, says it’s changed her life.
"She's a whole new person,” Dee said. “She's becoming a hearing person.”
Dee says with the implant, her expectation was that Kamady would hear environmental sounds. “We didn’t expect any more than that,” she said.
"I didn't think I would hear her voice, now I get to hear it every day."
The implant's electronic signals are supplemented with Dee communicating in sign language.
“We are proud, very proud,” Dee said.
"My dream is to have a really good conversation with her, that's my dream."
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