Pioneering centre gives new hope to deaf people
Isobel Water was just seven months old when she was struck by life-threatening meningitis.
Although the tot survived, it left her deaf in both ears.
"We never saw her as deaf," says her mum, Justine, from Leeds. The Waters decided to do everything they could to restore their daughter's hearing and at the age of two Isobel received her first cochlear implant at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
Nicknamed "the bionic ear", the cochlear implant allows patients, from young to old, to hear – and for some it will be the first time they have heard anything in their lives.
It is a two-part electronic device that is surgically implanted in the patient's inner ear. Sound is picked up by an external processor that converts it into an electrical signal. This electrical signal directly stimulates the hearing nerves and is passed to the brain where it is perceived as sound.
"It has really made a difference to Isobel," says her mum. "It was amazing when she first started talking. She is a bit behind in terms of speech and language, but she is doing really well.
"She got her second implant last year and is doing really well at school. You really wouldn't know that she had hearing problems."
Isobel is now seven, and her parents are grateful to the Yorkshire Cochlear Implant Service.
The service is based at BRI, but this year a pioneering Listening for Life Centre is due to open in Bradford.
The centre, which is nearing completion, will be the UK's first purpose-built unit dedicated to cochlear implants and the assessment and treatment of patients with severe to profound hearing loss. The YCIS has gained international renown as one of Britain's leading centres for the treatment of babies, children and adults with severe to profound hearing loss.
It will use state-of-the-art equipment to improve the diagnosis, rehabilitation and education of cochlear implant patients from across the whole of Yorkshire. It is the brainchild of Chris Raine, surgeon and ear, nose and throat consultant at BRI, who set up the Ear Trust charity which funds all areas of YCIS not available on the NHS.
"In the late 1980s my interest was aroused by a developing new technology that could enable the profoundly deaf to hear again – the bionic ear or cochlear implant," says Mr Raine.
"I was totally enthused by the idea of restoring hearing to those who had no meaningful hearing at all. After a period of training in Germany, I was determined to bring this technology to Bradford so we could offer it to our patients throughout Yorkshire and beyond.
"Three of us started the Yorkshire Cochlear Implant Service. We implanted our first patients in 1990. In the same year the Ear Trust charity was set up, as we initially had to fund all the implants and equipment.
"As we have a lifelong commitment to our patients and their families, we really need to expand. It is great to see my vision coming to fruition and people have been very generous in supporting the project, but we still need to raise 394,000. Every bit helps, even if it's just raising enough money for a chair or something in the gardens."
And it is not just the very young who benefit from a bionic ear. Grandfather of seven, John Leahy, 72, from Selby, had felt suicidal after plunging into a world of silence. John had taken early retirement from the Post Office after 30 years of service and had been spending his time doing odd jobs at a supermarket.
But because he couldn't hear the tannoy and telephone or chat to customers he was forced to give up this job.
"I felt so cut off, losing your hearing is an isolating thing," says John who lost his hearing suddenly after a virus.
"I was discharged with a hearing aid, which didn't help, and that was the start of going into a deep depression."
Fortunately, John's son discovered information about cochlear implants and John decided to go ahead with the procedure.
"I was driving home and suddenly I was aware of a noise and it was rain hitting the car roof. I put the windscreen wipers on and heard a noise. Everything started coming together."
With the help of the team at BRI, John began the long process of learning to hear again. The Listening for Life Centre still needs 394,000 and Mr Raine is urging people to give generously and to take part in the Bupa Great Manchester Run which takes place on Sunday, May 17.
"By choosing to run in aid of the Ear Trust's Listening for Life Centre appeal, you will be helping to make a difference to many people's lives – from babies, through to teenagers and adults, right up to pensioners in their 80s."
To enter the Bupa Great Manchester Run for the Ear Trust , contact Chris Raine at CHRaine@aol.com. Tel: 0776 8372748.
Details of the Bupa Great Manchester Run can be found at www.greatrun.org.
What cochlear implants do
Cochlear implants are suitable for deafened adults, and some born deaf, who do not benefit from conventional hearing aids. They can also be suitable for young children who have been born deaf or older children who have experienced severe or profound hearing loss after acquiring spoken language. n Currently almost 500 children per year are born deaf enough to receive an implant or become deaf in early life and may need one. Implants among these groups are at 70 per cent and growing with 430 children implanted in 2007.
Approximately 7,500 adults in the UK are considered suitable for an implant; only 360 of these received an implant in 2007.
The current costs for assessment, equipment, operation and ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance is 21k for adults and 34 for children
To find out more about how you can support the Listening for Life Centre, visit www.eartrust.org.uk; email enquire@eartrus
t.org.uk; 0781 5753677.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Rival chips in with £500,000 to restore the original Harry Ramsden’s
- SportsTalk: Leeds United’s manager search, Super League and Calcutta Cup
- Visit from Princess as Serbian culture celebrated
- Strategic review will lead to job losses at Yorkshire Bank
- NHS spends £20m a year on translators and interpreters
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Yorkshire
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -5 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
