Connect with a mentor

Nucleus® 7, Bilateral | Sensorineural Hearing Loss

I’m a college graduate with a love of music, fitness and helping others.

A quick summary about Olivia W.

• When I was 4 ½ years old I completely lost my hearing.
• I graduated with a Master’s degree.
• I enjoy listening to music, working out and sharing my knowledge with others.

Hi! I’m Olivia and I received a Cochlear™ implant when I was 5 years old. I was diagnosed with hearing loss at 3 ½ years old and initially I wore hearing aids for a short time. When I lost my hearing completely, I remember sitting in the back of the car as my father drove us back from hearing therapy. Suddenly, it sounded as if someone was turning down the volume on my hearing aids. I thought that my batteries needed to be changed, but that was not the case. After that, my parents took me in to be tested and was diagnosed with profound hearing loss. I received a Cochlear Implant at this time. I started kindergarten shortly after having my sound processor activated. I progressed well with my Cochlear implant. Later on I decided to move forward with getting a Cochlear implant on my other ear and I was able to do even better.

One of my most vivid memories of my family reacting to me first hearing with my Cochlear implant is when the phone rang, and I reacted and questioned if that was the phone. They were shocked and excited, realizing that the Cochlear implant was working for me.

Mentoring is important to me because I’m able to let others know they aren’t alone on this journey. There are so many people that have gone through this. We are a community and we stick together. A piece of advice I would give to families looking into Cochlear implants for their children is that supporting your child 100% is so important. Between scheduling the procedure to emotional support afterwards and encouragement and patience as your child learns to listen and speak and even excel!

I was born profoundly deaf and have received two cochlear implants. I received my first one as a child and my second one as an adult. I am a teacher of the deaf with children who are in preschool through second grade. I also volunteer with several hearing loss organizations. I enjoy traveling, hanging out with friends and family, hiking, being outside and reading.

Nucleus® 7 System, Bilateral

I’m an Army Veteran in my late sixties. I enjoy walking, bike riding, hiking nature trails and helping others.

A quick summary about Stephen K.

• I noticed my hearing loss in my 40s and wore hearing aids until 2007.
• I received my first Cochlear™ Implant in 2007 in my right ear and my second implant in 2009 on the other ear.
• After I received my implants I started hearing sounds that I hadn’t heard in years. Each sound that came back was a WOW moment.

I’m Stephen, an Army veteran in my late sixties. I entered the Army in 1970 and worked with an artillery unit. Many of my assignments exposed me to varying degrees of noise. I noticed my hearing loss in my 40s. My wife started asking why I didn’t answer the doorbell for our apartment. It was because I did not hear it! We both knew that something was wrong. I had my hearing tested, and we found out I had a moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears. I was fitted with hearing aids. Years later, in 2007, I was struggling to communicate even with the best efforts of my audiologist. I became withdrawn and frustrated.

That year, I received a Cochlear™ Implant in my right ear and was activated with wonderful results. I started hearing sounds again that I had not heard in years. Each sound that came back was a WOW moment, I treasure each one. Still hearing those sounds is a wonderful feeling. A year and a half later, I received another Cochlear Implant on my other ear.

My biggest satisfaction as a mentor is providing information that helps answer questions for people considering Cochlear implants. One of the rewards of mentoring others is being able to expand my understanding and reinforcing my knowledge. I’ve supported many adults with hearing loss, many of whom are veterans and enrolled in the VA health care system. I enjoy helping others. If I can help you along your hearing journey, please feel free to contact me.

Top advice for mentees:

• Be patient when going through your hearing journey. Things take a while to sort out.
• Maintain good communication with your audiologist. He or she will be working with you for years and wants you to have the best possible outcome.

I enjoy music, hiking, camping, geocaching, gardening, and wine making.  I was implanted in 2008 and 2009 with cochlear implants. I have participated in several bilateral bimodal research studies including the FDA Nucleus® 6 Hybrid™ clinical trials. Cochlear implant technology has allowed me to re-engage in life, let me know what questions I can answer for you.

1. The Acoustic Component should only be used when behavioral audiometric thresholds can be obtained and the recipient can provide feedback regarding sound quality. The Hybrid L24 Implant is approved in the US for adults ages 18 and older.

Nucleus® 6 System, Bilateral

I’ve had Cochlear™ implants for thirty years, ten years bilateral. I love going to concerts and listening to music.

A quick summary about Margo K.

• My hearing challenges began when I was two years old after a car accident.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 1989 and have enjoyed seven sound processor upgrades since then!
• When I began to hear again, my twelve-year-old son told me, ““Now I can tell you anything Mom”.

I’m Margo. My hearing challenges began when I was two years old after a car accident. I’d lost all hearing in my left ear and part of my hearing in my right ear. When I was 21 I received my first hearing aid for my right ear. At 25 a virus took what remained of my hearing. I was married with a one-year old son and suddenly my world became silent. It was traumatic. My biggest concern was whether I would be able to be a good mom to our son and wife to my husband.  Our family adapted and grew. Some of my biggest challenges were constant fatigue due to the effort it took to communicate. In 1989, I received my first Cochlear™ implant (CI).  My children were 5, 7, 9, and 12, and they became my teachers helping me learn to identify sounds. As I began to understand what was being said, my family and friends were very happy. I no longer struggled to communicate.  I remember my 12-year-old son telling me “Now I can tell you anything Mom”.

In 2008, I received a Cochlear implant in my other ear, which had lived in silence for 54 years. My world of sound became richer and more vibrant compared to having only one CI ear. I was thrilled as it meant the new CI ear had the potential to learn to hear. The hearing journey took a bit longer for my second ear and required more effort and perseverance but, it was well worth the effort.

The biggest pieces of advice I like to give people with hearing loss in those early months after getting their CIs are the P words. Patience, practice, perseverance and a positive attitude are key in getting the most out of your Cochlear implants.

Parent – Baha® 5 Attract, Unilateral | Single-sided cholesteatoma

My son, Alex, plays in his school’s performing arts music program.

A quick summary about Chrissy F.

• My son plays bassoon, trombone and baritone in his school’s music program.
• He’s enrolled in advanced classes and thriving!
• He’s passionate about pursuing a future in music.

My name is Chrissy, and my son, Alex, wears a Baha® 5 Attract System. When he was two, we learned that he had a unilateral cholesteatoma that caused severe damage to his hearing. When he was 9 years old, he tried a Baha demo in the Audiologist’s office and wanted it immediately. We moved forward with the Baha System shortly after that, and he has done very well with it. Today, Alex is enrolled in all advanced classes and active in his school marching band. He is passionate about a future in music and hopes to join a college with a music program. He is a strong, proud kid that embraces his situation and makes the very best of it. My advice to parents with children with hearing loss is to keep a positive attitude and teach your child to know that they are special and unique. If you do these things, they will thrive. Alex and I are both here to help with questions on your family’s hearing journey.

Nucleus® 7 System – Bilateral

I’m an Air Force veteran. I enjoy music, yoga and talking to friends and family on the phone.

A quick summary about Denise B.

• My hearing progressively declined on my right side until I had little hearing left.
• In 2008, I lost the hearing on my left side overnight becoming profoundly deaf.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2009 and my second one in 2017 on my other side.

My hearing journey began with single sided deafness in my early thirties. I began using a hearing aid in 1992. My hearing progressively declined on the right side until I had little hearing left. In 2008, I lost the hearing on my left side overnight becoming profoundly deaf. This total hearing loss was sudden and catastrophic for me.  I couldn’t communicate, use the phone, understand music, practice yoga, all things that made life enjoyable, and I was struggling to keep my job as a college professor. When I learned about cochlear implants, I took everything about them on faith. There were no mentors available to talk with and most of the information came from the audiologist, who was wonderful. I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2009, and my second one in 2017 on my other side. It was wonderful to hear sounds again. Speech took a bit longer, but it was a miracle to hear again.

As a volunteer mentor I help people learning about cochlear implants by sharing my experience, explaining what to expect, and sharing the challenges and strategies that I used to overcome the learning curve.

My piece of advice to new recipients is to practice, practice, practice. It gets better over time and every time you use the sound processor your brain is working. When you start to get tired, take a break 15-30 minutes then go back to the sound processor. Audio books are a good way to practice speech recognition and use the online tools, connect with a mentor and ask questions.

Nucleus® 7 System – Bilateral

For me every day is a hearing adventure!

A quick summary about Sue M.

• I began losing my hearing as a result of a childhood illness.
• I was in hearing aids by the time I was in my 40’s and wore them for over 20 years.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2012, my second came a year later.

My hearing loss is a direct result of a childhood illness. I gradually lost more of my hearing resulting in bilateral hearing aids by the time I was in my 40’s. I wore hearing aids for over 20 years. As my hearing loss progressed, hearing and understanding speech became harder. My husband and I were square dancers but, it became extremely difficult to understand the callers and I wasn’t able to enjoy this activity any longer.  I avoided social activities.  When I learned about Cochlear in 2012, I was struggling and getting worse. I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2012, my second one came a year later. Soon after that, I discovered that the world was a very noisy place. Hearing in stereo is wonderful! My activation day was truly a miracle. I was amazed at what I could hear – things I hadn’t heard in years. My husband says that my Cochlear implants are a miracle because he can now talk to me without having to yell. My confidence in dealing with daily life and social situations has returned. Being able to hear has improved my relationships with my husband and friends. My work requires dealing with the public and I now do it with confidence.

I love being a volunteer mentor and helping others on their hearing journey. My advice to new recipients is to use the three P’s:

• Patience – be kind to yourself, this is a journey not a sprint.
• Persevere – don’t be discouraged.
• Practice – the more you do, the happier you will be.

Nucleus® 7 Hybrid™ Implant System* & ReSound Hearing Aid- Bimodal

I enjoy sharing my experience with others in support of their hearing journeys.

A quick summary about Susan H.

• My hearing loss began after a severe viral infection.
• I struggled to hear women’s and children’s voices and later men’s voices as well.
• Now, I can hear my daughter clearly, freely talk on the phone, and pursue work projects again.

My hearing journey began after I experienced a severe viral infection. I remember not being able to hear the phone ring and realizing something was wrong.  Shortly after, I got hearing aids and went on with my life. I didn’t realize my hearing loss would be progressive, dropping unpredictably through the next years until hearing aids were no longer effective. I struggled with my career and hearing my daughter, as well as most women’s and children’s voices. Men’s voices came next and I couldn’t function professionally. I was losing my career and my relationships were suffering, I was devastated. I learned about the Hybrid™ implant system through a friend, went in for an assessment and sometime later I scheduled the procedure. My sister shed tears of joy at my activation, and my family was thrilled. Although it took time, I could communicate with them again, and life got a lot more pleasant for all of us! I felt like I’d been given my life back.

I found a mentor early on in my hearing journey. She was tremendously helpful, and we remain friends today. I mentor others because this is a difficult journey and I don’t want anyone to go through it alone.  My advice to others considering this type of hearing solution: Reach out, don’t try to go it alone. The fears and concerns you’re having are likely the same as we all had!

1. 1. The Acoustic Component should only be used when behavioral audiometric thresholds can be obtained and the recipient can provide feedback regarding sound quality. The Hybrid L24 Implant is approved in the US for adults ages 18 and older.

Parent – Nucleus® 7, Bilateral | Sensorineural Hearing Loss

My daughter graduated with her Master’s degree just one year after finishing her Bachelor’s degree.

A quick summary about Iraida W.

• My daughter lost all her hearing when she was 4 ½ years old.
• She graduated with her Master’s degree only a year after finishing her Bachelor’s.
• She’s an intelligent and driven young lady looking forward to helping others.

My name is Iraida and my daughter, Olivia, became a Cochlear recipient when she was 5 years old. When she lost her hearing suddenly, it shot our whole world down. As soon as we learned she had hearing loss, we researched and spoke with the hospital to learn more. As a family, we knew we would go forward with the cochlear implant. I worried that she wouldn’t learn to listen and talk, but I was so wrong. When we first saw Olivia responding to voices and sounds, we were elated. No words could describe our joy. Watching her interact with her twin and respond to questions was amazing. Now, Olivia is a young lady and she graduated with her Master’s degree only a year after finishing her Bachelor’s. She’s happy and looking forward to working and helping others on their hearing journeys.

The three things I told myself as my family and I embarked on this adventure with Olivia is to:

• Be her voice until she finds her own.
• Allow yourself to feel some kinda way… but only for A BIT!
• Never give up. Giving up is just not an option.

Our journey has gotten better and better with time. I share our family’s story in hopes that it will help parents considering a cochlear implant for the hearing loss of their children.

Hey, I’m a 22-year-old bilateral cochlear implant recipient. I suddenly lost my hearing at the age of 18, five days before starting college (the deafness was the result of a rare autoimmune disease). Immediately, I knew that I wanted a cochlear implant. I received my first implant a month after losing my hearing, in October of 2013. By the following fall, I knew I wanted another implant, which I received in June of 2015. I am a senior at Western Michigan University, studying English literature, world literature, and creative writing. I am editor in chief of the undergraduate literary journal, I work as a teacher’s assistant, as a writing center consultant at the university, and as a writing tutor for middle school and high school students—all of this is made possible through my CIs. You can usually find me behind a book or a camera, as I spend most of my free time working as a photographer. I enjoy rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, adventuring, and world-traveling.

Spouse – Nucleus® 7 & Kanso® Systems, Bilateral

My husband can socialize more easily now and attend plays and shows.

A quick summary about Sherree L.

• My husband lost his hearing gradually over time.
• He received his first Cochlear™ implant in 2010 and became bilateral in 2013.
• I’m passionate about helping others find out how cochlear implants can help them.

My journey began as I noticed my husband having difficulty in conversations as his hearing began deteriorating. Reluctantly, he got a hearing aid, then a second one for the other ear. Because hearing aids amplify sound, being in crowds or in loud restaurants became unbearable for him. He couldn’t socialize or enjoy activities. Eventually, the hearing aids stopped helping him.

My professional background is in speech and hearing, and when my husband’s speech discrimination became very low, we both realized that he needed to see if he was a candidate for a cochlear implant. He received his first Cochlear™ implant in 2010 and went on to become bilateral in 2013. At each activation, we were amazed at his ability to hear environmental sounds and understand speech. He’s able to socialize more easily now, attend plays and shows, and comfortably eat out in most restaurants.

Since this technology has helped my husband to communicate successfully, I’m excited to share our journey with other families! I’m passionate about helping others to find out how cochlear implants can help them regain usable hearing and supporting them after activation. Volunteering for Cochlear is our way of saying “thanks” for this amazing technology!

Nucleus® 6 System & ReSound Hearing Aid, Bimodal | Usher’s Syndrome

As a visually challenged individual, I made the right decision to receive a Cochlear™ Implant.

A quick summary about David K.

• I’m a visually challenged individual.
• I no longer shy away from social engagements or meetings.
• I enjoy sharing my experience with others, giving back and encouraging them.

I’d been wearing bilateral hearing aids for many years and thought I was hearing well. My son noticed I was favoring my right ear and encouraged me to get tested. I made an appointment with an otologist to be evaluated. She told me I was a candidate for a cochlear implant and should consider having the procedure. I had several concerns but after discussing the situation with my family, I decided to go ahead. I had the procedure in 2016. My family and friends noticed that my hearing improved dramatically. I can now enjoy listening to music, TV, radio, and nature. I’m able to actively participate in everyday, business and social situations. I don’t regret for a second getting a Cochlear™ Implant, especially since I’m visually challenged.

My advice to those considering a cochlear implant or those that just received one is to keep in mind that better hearing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes work to “train the brain” to interpret the sounds it is receiving from the cochlear implant.