“My name is Emma and I am a graphic designer and mama to a sweet 4-year-old girl. Rebekah has unilateral microtia-atresia, a condition where her left ear did not fully develop in utero. This resulted in her ear canal being closed, making her deaf in one ear. We learned early in our journey that giving … Continued
“HEARING—I really missed it. I use the past tense because I can now hear so many things that I thought were lost forever. I can hear the birds sing, I can hear the phone ring, I can hear music and I can hear my grandchildren say, ‘Hi Nanny.’ My hearing loss began the mid-1970s. It … Continued
“Bella was born in March of 2019. My husband and I were informed that Bella failed her hearing test the day she was born. We were immediately concerned because our oldest child was also born with hearing loss. Throughout my pregnancy with Bella, we didn’t really think about the possibility of Bella being deaf because our middle … Continued
Abigail Heringer has made history as the first person who hears with cochlear implants to be on “The Bachelor”. Having cochlear implants since she was 2 years old, Abigail proves how important representation is on shows like “The Bachelor”. When meeting Matt James for the first time, Abigail immediately shared about her hearing loss and … Continued
“I was born premature with more than ten birth defects, one of them being left microtia and atresia. I could hear normally on my right side but was missing my left ear and ear canal. All my unusual features resulted in a diagnosis of Goldenhar syndrome that came with a nearly four-month stay in the … Continued
“I grew up as a person with normal hearing, but in 2013, at the age of 44, I began to notice that my hearing was not as good as it used to be. It got bad enough that I decided to have my hearing tested. I was shocked to find out that I had adult-onset … Continued
“When I was 8 years old, I had a profound hearing loss from meningitis. I remember as a young boy that it only took a few days before I was confirmed as having a profound hearing loss. At such a young age, I confess that I wasn’t bothered by my lack of hearing and didn’t … Continued
“Luke was born with mild to moderate hearing loss from the connexin 26 gene mutation in October of 2008. The infant hearing screening is what first caught his hearing issues and by December that same year he had his first set of hearing aids. He then progressed to being profoundly deaf first in his right … Continued
“My name is Ella and I was born in 2007 in Woodbridge, Virginia. I was a perfectly healthy baby with no complications during pregnancy or birth, but doctors quickly discovered that I had 100 percent bilateral hearing loss. I was, and still am, the first person in my family to be deaf. We did lots … Continued
“Having a hearing loss is like a roller coaster. You have your ups and downs in many situations, whether it’s going to a restaurant, sitting in the classroom or simply having a conversation with a friend. I have faced adversity due to my hearing loss ever since I was born with severe to profound bilateral … Continued
“When I was just six months old, I lost my hearing from an adverse reaction to a bad batch of vaccines. After five years of my family adjusting to a new way of life, I was implanted with a cochlear implant from another company. Though this hearing solution worked for me for almost two decades, … Continued
“I look back over the years and recall when I first realized I was losing my hearing in my early 30s. Knowing that my grandma, mother and sister had all experienced severe hearing loss, it was obvious that it wasn’t something that would go away. At first, I wore a hearing aid in my right … Continued
“My heart sank slowly into the pit of my stomach as I stared blankly through the audiologist while she explained that our infant son had auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD), and we needed to learn sign language. Every moment of our traumatic four-month NICU experience flashed before my eyes. I teared up, looked down at … Continued
“I lost my hearing as a result of Meniere’s disease. I began having vertigo attacks when I was 37, and each attack slowly deteriorated my hearing. I was told at that time that my hearing loss was permanent and there was nothing, not even hearing aids, that could help me. I was left to simply … Continued
“My journey as a hearing-impaired person began when it was discovered I had a severe to profound hearing loss at 3 ½ years old before a tonsillitis operation. The attending ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) noticed that I was not responding to voices. He tested me on the spot with a tuning fork and … Continued
As the saying by Harvey Fierstein goes, “art has the power to transform, to illuminate, to educate, inspire and motivate.” So then, what better way to decorate a new office space than with pieces of artwork that do just that? The Cochlear team is continually inspired by the strength and resilience of cochlear implant recipients. … Continued
At Cochlear, we recognize the emotional journey that many families take when their child is first identified with hearing loss. Because of this, Cochlear is proud to partner with AG Bell to sponsor their Parent Support Line, which provides valuable resources and support to families on their hearing journey. We had a moment to connect … Continued
“When I was a 3-year-old toddler, I was diagnosed with hearing loss with no known cause. My hearing loss was classified as moderate to severe, so at the age of 4, I was fitted with my first pair of analog hearing aids. Fast forward to age 11, I woke up while camping one morning and … Continued
“We are the measure of our relative growth. How one overcomes obstacles and grows as a person shows their actual capacity, regardless of the starting situation. I was not provided with an adequate starting hand. Yet, I have repeatedly proven that I can overcome adversity irrespective of its nature and magnitude. A bumpy road to … Continued
“Leighton’s diagnosis began at birth when she failed her newborn hearing screening. After many months of testing and travelling to multiple specialists, she was diagnosed with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). Her MRI revealed both of her auditory nerves were small, which caused her severe to profound hearing loss. It soon became clear that hearing … Continued
“My father was a career Air Force officer, so I was raised on military bases all over the world. I had hearing at birth and was able to enjoy many childhood experiences which shaped my personality and life. I was a ballet dancer from age 5, played the piano and clarinet, and participated in many … Continued