Creating a community At the time of Ally’s birth, there wasn’t enough information available about options for children born with hearing loss. So, Melissa embarked on her mission to gather and share information about resources and options by establishing the Ear Community. During early childhood, hearing is critical to a child’s development and can impact … Continued
“It had done a good job. But it was starting to get tired. It had a lot of deterioration on the top of the exterior and the microphones didn’t seem to work as well. I wasn’t getting the full benefit anymore,” said Kris. When her Baha 3 Sound Processor hit five years old, Kris … Continued
The primary objective of cochlear implants is to optimize speech intelligibility. Given the emotional power of music, it’s no surprise that more than one cochlear implant recipient has said, I can understand speech with the sound processor, but music doesn’t sound as good as it used to. The issue is that music is a … Continued
Velda M. was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease after experiencing severe episodes of vertigo. Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disease that typically affects one ear and can cause pressure or pain in the ear, severe cases of dizziness or vertigo, hearing loss and a ringing or roaring noise, also known as tinnitus. Here is her story during … Continued
John B. knew his hearing had hit rock bottom when he misheard a question during a work presentation to about 250 coworkers about a big project. He still remembers the day just like it was yesterday. John was an expert lip reader, but after answering the question in great detail, he noticed the shocked faces … Continued
My name is Marty G., and at age 69, with a Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor in my right ear and a hearing aid in my left, I feel so fortunate to be able to hear even better than I did many years ago with two hearing aids. How my hearing loss began My hearing … Continued
Paying it forward When asked why she became a Cochlear volunteer, Suzy H., a Cochlear recipient and volunteer from Portland, OR responded, “I would like to pay it forward. Being available to help others who are feeling stuck or just starting out on their hearing journey can make a real difference. I think it is important … Continued
To help address this problem, Cochlear has developed “Bring Back the Beat”, a new learning app in the form of a game to help adults with Cochlear™ Nucleus® Implants to reconnect with the joy of music. Research shows that focused attention to music and listening practice improve appreciation of music. The interactive app brings to … Continued
Lisa and Ryan are the parents of three children born with hearing loss as a result of a genetic event called Connexin 26. This type of hearing loss is pre-lingual, occurring before the age of speech development. Today, Ella Marie age 9, and twin sisters Isabella and Sophia age 7, are all bilateral cochlear implant … Continued
Sheiladawn Fitch was so excited about the opportunity to unite with other cochlear implant recipients, share her experiences and learn from others, the grandmother drove three days cross-country from her home town in southern Texas to Cochlear’s ‘Celebration 2019’. Given her fear of flying, she set out on the 991 mile road trip to … Continued
The Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a volunteer or volunteer family who has made significant contributions to Cochlear’s mission, day in and day out, for 10 years or more. This award is a very special one, as it demonstrates how our commitment to recipients translates to Cochlear volunteers’ commitment to helping others. Since … Continued
People just like you – people with hearing loss and those concerned about hearing health — walk in cities across the country in the spring and fall. Maybe you are one of them. A Day in the Life of the Walk4Hearing Last year, I attended more Walk4Hearing events than ever, and frankly, I love it! … Continued
Below are some questions you should consider in identifying whether you may benefit from additional participation in hearing therapy and which type might be best for you. Questions to consider Do you understand most speakers easily and completely? Are you able to understand a speaker without seeing his/her face? What if the speaker is at … Continued
“This is a huge accomplishment for a person with normal hearing, but for someone who is deaf? People who meet me and learn what I do for a living don’t understand how I am able to work in a job where one of my primary responsibilities is to transcribe meeting notes verbatim, and my response … Continued
Andreas and Caroline Schwabe Throughout their marriage, Caroline and Andreas Schwabe worked as a team to manage Caroline’s hearing loss. A year after marrying, Caroline got her first pair of hearing aids. The pair adopted an idea that was at the core of every decision: “What provides the best hearing outcome?” Where we do we … Continued
Hearing therapy, or rehabilitation, following your implant surgery is instrumental to hearing redevelopment and can possibly even bring back sounds you may have completely forgotten about. Hearing therapy approaches may vary from person to person depending on the severity and timing of your hearing loss. No matter what sound processor you have, hearing therapy is … Continued
Happy New Year! The beginning of the year might be a great time for you to consider replacing your current sound processor with next-generation technology. Using your insurance benefits at the beginning of the year might be a good option for you if you’ve been considering replacing your current sound processor. As the new year … Continued
As a Cochlear volunteer and mentor, you know firsthand how impactful it is for people to have someone to talk to, someone to listen, and someone with them as they navigate the journey through hearing loss. On this International Mentoring Day we spoke with Cochlear volunteer Marilyn K. of Rochester, MN about what being a … Continued
#GivingTuesday is recognized the Tuesday right after Thanksgiving. People around the world give donations and volunteer their time to nonprofits and charitable organizations. Cochlear Gives Back Cochlear’s mission to help people hear and be heard is our inspiration for all that we do every day. It is our great privilege to support organizations that align … Continued
A South Dakota native, Don joined the military in 1967 and by the time he was 22, he had completed two combat tours in Vietnam. Don was trained in helicopter maintenance and then became a Crew Chief, which required flying and operating a machine gun on his first tour. On his second tour, he oversaw … Continued
This Veterans Day, meet Donald Dwight J., from Colorado Springs, CO and Stephen H. of Hastings, MI. These veterans are examples of dedication, support, and service to our country and they continue to provide a service to those in need in their roles as Cochlear volunteers. Donald Dwight J., Cochlear™ Baha® recipient Can you … Continued