50,000 Gifts of Hearing: Cochlear Marks Global Milestone

50,000 Gifts of Hearing: Cochlear Marks Global Milestone

For Release: July 16, 2003

MEDIA RELEASE: July 16, 2003

50,000 GIFTS OF HEARING – COCHLEAR MARKS GLOBAL MILESTONE

World-renowned hearing provider Cochlear, maker of the Australian-invented Nucleus cochlear implant system, marked a global milestone today with the announcement it has delivered the miracle of hearing to the 50,000^th person globally.

The occasion was marked by celebrations worldwide, particularly in Japan where the 50,000th Nucleus implant recipient, 3 year-old Momoka Endo, met with the Australian Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP, on his current state visit to Tokyo. Miss Endo has just been fitted with the implant and is now the 50,000th person from more than 120 countries to have been given the ability to hear. The Nucleus implant electronically stimulates the hearing nerve of the inner ear to allow profoundly deaf people to hear.

“Cochlear is delighted to have reached the 50,000^th Nucleus cohclear implant system milestone and is proud to provide the technology that allows children such as Miss Endo the chance to develop hearing and speech,’’ Cochlear President/CEO Jack O’Mahony said today.

“Japan is a very important country for Cochlear – we have been here since 1985, and about 3,000 people in Japan can now hear because of our system. Momoko, as our 50,000^th recipient, is testament to the fact that whether you are young or elderly, there is often no reason to live in silence.

“In a country like Japan where this system is completely refunded by the Government for the profoundly deaf, children such as Miss Endo can hear sounds for the first time.”

As part of her special place in Cochlear’s history, Miss Endo was the special guest at a ceremony today with the Australian Prime Minister and Cochlear representatives from Australia and Japan.

Prime Minister Howard presented Miss Endo with a gift on behalf of Cochlear, for Miss Endo and her family to visit Australia to see the technology behind the implant and to hear Australian sounds such as the famous Australian bird, the Kookaburra, and the waves crashing on Bondi Beach.

Miss Endo will also be able to meet Australian recipients of the system of a similar age.

“We are very excited that our daughter will now be able to hear. We are also very grateful to be visiting Australia so that we can see the extraordinary technology that allows her and so many others to hear,’’ the parents of Miss Endo, Mr Morita Endo and Mrs Akiko Endo, said.

Cochlear has had a long and proud presence in Japan since 1985, and was the first cochlear implant technology to receive regulatory approval here for the profoundly deaf. Today Cochlear partners with 74 cochlear implant clinics in Japan and also greatly values its partnership with the Japanese Government.

Japan represents 4 percent of Cochlear’s global market, but this percentage is expected to grow rapidly as currently only 3 percent of the people in Japan who could receive the life changing benefits of the device have a cochlear implant. Its superior technology means Cochlear is the global market leader.

Further information on the benefits of the cochlear implant can be found on the Cochlear’s Nucleus cochlear implant system at www.cochlear.com or contact your nearest Cochlear office.