“You don’t look deaf.” I can’t recall how many times I heard that comment from strangers. I suspect most of us, at one time or another, have been shocked by the public’s ignorance of hearing loss.
Elena LaQuatra, a television news anchor, gives us her take on how to reply to that insensitive comment with tact and aplomb. She sees it as an opportunity to educate the public.
Her deafness is a part of who she is, but it does not define how she lives her life. She is unstoppable. Along with help from her colleagues and family and friends, she has risen to the top of her game.
Deafened by meningitis at age four, her parents opted to have her receive a cochlear implant by the time she was five.
Her story reiterates that receiving a cochlear implant can open the world to a recipient. Those who are willing to work hard, are on the road to success. We may have an invisible disability but there is no reason to become invisible. Listen to or read her story and be inspired. TRANSCRIPT IS AVAILABLE AT COCHLEARIMPLANTBASICS.COM
