Meet Lee Howlett

Lee Howlett claims the best things about her implant has been being able to talk on the phone with family and listening to her unborn childs heartbeat.

Lee was born profoundly deaf, and to this day, specialists still dont know why despite numerous tests, scans and x-rays. At age two, she began wearing hearing aids in both ears. To understand others, Lee relied on lip-reading. She then learned to speak after years of intensive speech therapy.

Lee received a cochlear implant when she was 27 years old. Now two years after her surgery, and through much hard work, she is able to understand 90% of the sentences people say.

The progress I have made in the last two years has been amazing, says Lee. When I was switched on, I was shocked at how noisy and loud the world was, but am used to it now. I am still discovering tiny, new sounds that I havent heard before. I am able to handle my own phone calls, listen to music and watch television and movies without subtitles. My confidence and enjoyment of life has increased enormously.