Connect with a mentor

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.

Baha® 5 SuperPower System – Connect, Bilateral

I enjoy traveling and being a Special Needs Daycare Teacher. The Baha® System brought me out of my shell.

A quick summary about Amanda D.

• I had hearing aids in both ears by the time I was 8 years old.
• I received my first Cochlear™ Baha® System in 2013.
• I’m able to hear the children that I work with as a Special Needs Daycare teacher.

I wore hearing aids from the time I was 8 years old until I was in college. When I got my first hearing aid, I remember sitting in the hospital waiting area and telling my mom that I can hear the phone ringing and the elevator, it seemed like it was too much, and I wanted it out of my ear. Eventually I got used to my hearing aid and got a second one on my other ear. I was in college when my left ear stopped benefiting from hearing aids. I received my first Baha® in 2013 and my second in 2017 on the other ear.

Life with my Baha 5 SuperPower Sound Processors is wonderful. I love traveling to see my friends. I love going to the Cochlear Celebration to meet up and visit with my Cochlear family. My Baha System helps me carry out my duties as a Special Needs Daycare Teacher, because I’m able to hear the children that I work with and, more often than not, I can hear them the first time without having them repeat themselves. The Baha System brought me out of my shell.

I love mentoring people that need more information about the Baha System. My advice to them is, “don’t wait to get it!”

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, 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!

Hello!  My name is Sophia and my son Helio was born with bilateral Microtia Atresia. He uses the Baha Connect system.  He had the right side abutment surgery at age 7 and the left side abutment surgery at age 8.  If you ask him to describe the difference the Baha Connect System made, he says it is a big difference.  He hears more clearly and can hear the rain and birds chirping.  Helio continues to do well academically and socially.  His hobbies include playing video games, soccer, basketball, baseball, football, and his favorite sport is go karting.  We encourage him to participate in extracurricular activities and to enjoy life.  Helio is a brave individual and is learning that he can do anything he wants and more.  Helio’s mode of communication is oral and utilizes the mini-microphone in the classroom, when listening to music, and when playing video games on a hand-held device.  He is responsible for keeping all his equipment together and extra batteries on hand.  We look forward to helping you find what works for you and your family!

Baha® 5 Connect, Unilateral| Single Sided Deafness

My hobbies are spending time with our grandsons, woodworking, traveling and listening to old time radio detective programs.

A quick summary about Dan N.

• I had a sudden hearing loss in one ear and became single sided in 1971.
• I’ve been a mentor for over 14 years.
• I wore Bi-CROS hearing aids for a while before switching to a Baha® System.

I had a sudden hearing loss in one ear and became single sided in 1971. I wore hearing aids for 20 years. Back then there wasn’t any treatment available, so I just sort of faked it for the next 15 years. In the mid-1980s I started wearing Bi-CROS hearing aids.  They were fair to poor in the best of circumstances.  I learned about the Baha® in 2005 and did a test drive comparing it with newer Bi-CROS aids. The Baha provided sound, clarity and volume unequaled by the hearing aids and I was convinced. I currently wear the Baha 5.

I derive great satisfaction from guiding mentees as they take steps toward hearing. As a recipient myself, I’ve “been there and done that,” and I’m able to relate to their experiences. There are hearing solutions and together we can explore them. You are not alone on your hearing journey.

Patrick was born deaf and implanted at age 1.  He loves Legos and Star Wars.  He enjoys baseball, karate, and outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and riding his bike.   He is an avid reader (his reading level is many grades above average!).  He listens to music daily and loves traveling.  We love talking to other families about their hearing journeys!

Nucleus® 6 & Hybrid™ Hearing¹, Bilateral | Meniere’s Disease

I enjoy taking dance lessons and language classes. Having Cochlear™ Implants makes this possible.

A quick summary about Michelle F.

• I was diagnosed with hearing loss when I was 22 years old.
• I’m a teacher of the deaf working in a public school. I teach children how to listen and talk.
• In my spare time I enjoy cooking, dancing, traveling and exploring new places.

I was 22 when I was diagnosed with hearing loss. I had the feeling that my left ear was blocked and went in for a hearing test. It started as a mild unilateral hearing loss but over the course of five years, it progressively got worse in both ears until it became severe to profound hearing loss. I was frustrated because I knew that I was losing hearing. My frustrations came more from my lack of speech understanding than from losing access to other sounds. When I began hearing sounds with my first Cochlear™ Implant, my family was very happy and supportive. I shared great everyday sounds I was hearing again with my mom. We both shared in the excitement of this new hearing journey!

My biggest pleasure as a mentor is that I’m able to help other people on their own hearing journeys by sharing my experience and answering questions. My best advice is to trust in the fact that the Cochlear implant opens the doors to amazing opportunities. Don’t wait, as I waited 4 years to get my first implant and I wish I had done it sooner! I enjoy taking dance lessons and I’m also taking language classes, as learning new languages has always interested me and having the Cochlear implants makes this possible.

1. The Acoustic Component should only be used when behavioral audiometric thresholds can be obtained and the recipient can provide feedback regarding sound quality.

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 & 6 Systems – Bilateral | Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease

I enjoy spending time with the grandchildren, volunteering, and listening to the sounds of nature.

A quick summary about Lori O.

• I lost my hearing overnight.
• I received my first Cochlear™ implant in 2012 and my second in 2014 on the other ear.
• Practice the 4 P’s – practice, patience, perseverance and positive attitude.

One day in 1985 I woke up deaf. My family and I were stunned at the sudden loss. I was able to regain some of the hearing in my right ear and was fitted with a hearing aid. Fast forward to 1991 and I once again woke up deaf. After many tests I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED). I struggled for 27 years to keep what hearing I had by using medications and several experimental treatments. Over the years we managed to get past the many “down times” I had. In 2012 I realized the battle to keep my natural hearing was not to be won. I received my first Cochlear™ implant shortly after that. After activation, my husband and I had a blast on the 2-hour drive home. It was the first time in years that I heard and understood music. I understood him while in the car, heard the passing cars and the blinker! My silenced social life blossomed. My two sons and their families smiled from ear to ear as I heard everything they were saying. The little ones…oh how blessed I was to be able to understand them!

Being a volunteer mentor has brought so much joy to my life. Seeing how happy someone I mentored has become after his/her hearing is restored is very exciting. The most important piece of advice I can give to someone (and their family) considering a Cochlear implant is to understand that there’s a learning curve after receiving your Cochlear implant. For some, speech comprehension isn’t instant. It can take time for the brain to connect the dots to hearing and involving family and friends is helpful.

I am a retired CPA/CFO.  I enjoy tennis, running, reading and spending time with my grandchildren.  My hearing problems started with sudden hearing loss.  I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and since that time have struggled with vertigo and hearing loss.  In 2012 I received a cochlear implant (Nucleus 5) and it was an amazing change.  This April I was eligible to upgrade and now have a Kanso that I use with a compatible ReSound hearing aid.

I was diagnosed with Meniere’s in 1993 and struggled with hearing loss for over 12 years. Even with hearing aids I could no longer hear the TV, hear people talking that were standing next to me and I struggled at work. I love my implant. I can’t even feel it on my head! I feel like a kid on Christmas morning every day when I go to get my processor and put it on.   The technology is unbelievable and I can’t wait to see what the future advances will be in cochlear implants.

My cochlear implant has made it possible for me to continue working as a registered dietician. When I am not working I enjoy gardening, growing flowers, weight training classes, yoga, and attending theater.   I would like others to have the opportunity to hear again and maintain the quality of their lives.