Leone Healy

Leone Healy, BA, a freelance writer and writing tutor, is a retired public servant who specialised in advocacy for people with disabilities. "Up!" shares her experiences of raising a deaf son in country NSW in the 60's and 70's. The lack of both services and understanding drove her to be a real mover and shaker. She set up services for deaf children, was the first woman voted on to Orange City Council and has a park named after her there. She raised community awareness of disability, the environment and feminism while teaching her deaf son, David, to talk. His first word was "Up"! David is now a Consultant for the Deaf in TAFE, a Social Work graduate, and has a Bachelor of Education.

She hopes her book will foster an understanding of deafness, but because there is so much to tell it will appeal to nurses, teachers, doctors, people who live in the country, and anyone who seeks to challenge inflexible or oppressive environments. "Up" won the Best Self Published Australian Book of the Year, 2002.

Books by Leone Healy