Recognising The Achievements Of Cochlear Implant Advocates On Cochlear Implant Day

On February 25th, as the world celebrates Cochlear Implant Day, recognising the life changing benefits of cochlear implants on the lives of people with severe to profound hearing loss, the Pindrop Foundation is honouring some of the outstanding individuals in the cochlear implant community in Aotearoa New Zealand who have tirelessly advocated for this life-changing technology, providing hope to many.

One such person is Nikki Maloney from Tauranga, who has been a dedicated cochlear implant advocate for almost a decade. Her efforts were instrumental in the first petition to the government in 2012, calling for increased access to cochlear implants for deaf New Zealanders. Nikki and other advocates met with the Health Select Committee on the issue in October 2012, where she shared her experience of deafness.

"By coming together and supporting one another, this shows how we can help make a difference in the lives of those affected by hearing loss. It’s about never giving up. Change does come, but you have to make your voice heard," says Nikki.

Thanks to the perseverance and dedication of the cochlear implant community, funding for cochlear implants in Aotearoa New Zealand has increased from 20 per year to 120 per year over the past 10 years. This progress demonstrates the importance of advocacy and the power of people coming together to create a better future for those affected by hearing loss.

Lee Schoushkoff, CEO of The Pindrop Foundation, emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the positive impact cochlear implants have on people's lives. "Cochlear Implant Day is a time to celebrate the advances made in the field of hearing technology and to work towards a future where everyone has access to the gift of sound.

Over the past few decades, cochlear implants have revolutionised the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world, giving them the ability to hear and communicate with the world around them. The device consists of a microphone, a speech processor, and a tiny electrode array that is surgically implanted into the cochlea.

Read about the dedicated work of the cochlear implant community and their achievements by visiting: https://www.pindrop.org.nz/community/ci-day-2023/

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