Imperfections – we all deal with them. Some extra flab, pimples on skin, dark circles, too big or too small features and so on. However, there are days when one feels grateful – at least I have a healthy body, a beautiful mind and aren’t we lucky that we can understand and voice out our imperfections? Aren’t we glad that the so-called “flaws” do not stop us from living a perfect life? From seeing the beautiful sunrise and from hearing the sounds of our loved ones? Talking about sounds, here’s a question. What’s your favorite sound in the world? A giggling child, a victorious whoop? Mine is the sound of rain on the roof.
With the ongoing IPL, don’t you feel the rush of excitement when the stadium erupts in a loud celebration or the click of the bat against the ball and even the flying off the bails? Do you think they are “beautiful sounds?” If you do, then you are not alone. Brett Lee thinks so too! I know it because I was there when he spoke about it with a charming smile. And why was Brett speaking of sounds? Because as the global hearing ambassador of Cochlear India he feels that raising awareness about hearing loss is a very important cause.
We speak of getting our vision tested. But not many consider getting a test done for hearing and as it turns out, not many parents are willing to get a treatment done for children who are detected with a loss of hearing. The good news is that if detected early, they can be treated with a cochlear implant very early on and they can live a normal life.
Shobhit – a tiny little bundle of endless energy is an alibi to this. After his mother discovered, a few months after his birth, that Shobhit had trouble hearing, it was a matter of huge concern. Like many other cases, the bigger work was convincing the family. They worry that the surgery may impact the brain which is untrue. The lack of awareness is a big roadblock to the extent that the families of the patient themselves do not support a simple surgery. The relatives opine that the parent spoke late so it is normal for the offspring to be late in speech and hearing too. According to the Dr. Vasanti, ENT, it takes them at least three months to convince the family for a cochlear implant surgery
Today, Shobhit can hear normally and so can a lot of children or adults who suffer from hearing loss. Up until a few years, wearing glasses was considered un-cool and today, the geeky look is in. People with perfect eye-sight also wear glasses and it is nothing short of a fashion statement. A hearing device can be a fashion statement too. So there has to be no consciousness or embarrassment in wearing one. It has to be only one thing – empowering. During our talk, Brett spoke of this Australian Indian kid who has gone through a cochlear implant and who loves playing Cricket. Today, there is nothing stopping him from living a bright future.
TEC has always stood for thing – wearing your confidence. People suffering from hearing loss can suffer from low levels of confidence and it is very important that they are given an equal opportunity and platform in all walks of life. Being a blogger, one gets to know a lot of the causes that we may tend to ignore. A few months back, TEC spoke of clefts– one more reason why many children would lose their confidence. This event was another eye opener. They say Change begins with me. I have pledged to spread awareness and talk to my friends and family about the cochlear implant and how it can change lives. I hope that you will help us and Cochlear India spread this awareness too.
Until next time, Keep it Stylish! Stay Beautiful 
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