My journey back to Sound
Sandra was born with a moderate hearing loss to hearing parents which was noted when she was 18 months old. She is married to Alan who has bi-lateral Cochlear Implants.
mailto:al_sand1@bigpond.net.auDownload a copy of myStory Brochure
"No one knew the reason Sandra was born deaf, but her father had rubella on the Islands in Borneo during WWII and this was seen as a possible cause.
"She was just two years old when she was fitted with a hearing aid, and required intensive speech therapy until she was five to develop her speech.By the time she was 35 she was the mother of two lovely girls and it was around this time that her hearing loss had become significant. She discovered it was quite common to lose some hearing during pregnancy.
"In 2000 she met and married her husband Alan. Alan was also deaf but in 1996 he had been given a Cochlear implant. Through Alan she met many implantees and saw how successful they were in their journey back to hearing. From here Sandra underwent an assessment to determine if she was suitable for implantation and the results came back positive.
My husband's & family's
support was so important
"After the operation and the following "switch on", she was able to hear immediately. This was due in large part to the great deal of support she received from her husband and family. The enjoyment of discovering new sounds each day was exciting and fun, and the learning continues to this day."
Sandra is involved in many Deaf and Hearing Impaired organizations, including the Cochlear Awareness Network, a volunteer organization of Cochlear Implant recipients who tell people the story of their journey back to sound.
Sandra loves giving talks about Cochlear Implants. She also supports many people who have chosen to have a cochlear implant, and by guiding and supporting them throughout the process. Contact Sandra if you'd like to hear more of her story. email: al_sand1@bigpond.net.au
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