Why Deaf Adults Need Access to Cochlear Implants

For Immediate Release:
Thursday 18th October 2012

Health Select Committee Hear Why Deaf Adults Need Access to Cochlear Implants

Lyn Polwart was living in a silent world for nearly 7 years until she got her cochlear implant in 2010, and yesterday, along with the cochlear implant consumer group, she read a submission pushing for increased access to cochlear implants for severely hearing impaired New Zealanders.

Lyn went deaf in 2003 and had to give up her beloved career as a teacher. “Likening deafness to a living death is not too much of an exaggeration,” says Lyn, “it affects your ability to take part in daily life; resulting in a withdrawal from everything and everyone.”

During Hearing Week in March 2012, Lyn presented an 8,000 signature petition to Mojo Mathers on the steps of Parliament calling on the government to increase funding of cochlear implants for severely hearing impaired New Zealanders.

“Familes are struggling under the strain of living with severe hearing loss, especially as many of them have grown up in a hearing world, and the destruction of not being able to communicate effectively is immense.

“Think about how we deal with some of our most hardened criminals-we put them in solitary confinement as a form of punishment, so strong is our need for social interaction with other humanbeings.

“Living with deafness, you are in solitary confinement all day and everyday. It is sheer torture,” says Lyn.

Nikki Moloney, who accompanied Lyn agrees, “Not being able to hear is soul destroying and throws you into a lonely and isolated world. I could no longer hear my sons talk to me, or have conversations with my husband. I just felt so tremendously sad at the life I had lost.

“That all changed this year when I got my cochlear implant. It gave me my life back. Words simply cannot describe what that is like,” says Nikki.

Eva Bergler, 21, also called on the Health Select Committee to increase funding for cochlear implants. After losing her hearing at 13, Eva finally got her cochlear implant when she was 17.

“The cochlear implant changed my life. It opened up a whole world of opportunities to me; university was suddenly a viable option. I am now in the final weeks of my bachelor of health sciences degree, and I can now take pride in my achievements and have comfort in the knowledge that I will now be able to support myself. I just want others to have that same opportunity,” says Eva.

Lyn Polwart believes the devasting consequences of living with a severe hearingloss can be easily prevented by having timely and equitable access to cochlear implants.

“We are simply calling on the government to enable severely hearing impaired New Zealanders gain timely access to cochlear implants as opposed to being leftlanquishing on waiting lists for up to 7 years,” says Lyn.

The Cochlear Implant Consumer Group has come together to support severely hearing impaired New Zealanders and strive for equitable access to a hearing world.

-ends-

© Scoop Media