Graeme Clark Scholarship in 2010

Bethan Hindson wins 2010 Graeme Clark Scholarship Award

Bethan Hindson, a third year veterinary student is the 2010 winner of the Cochlear™ UK Graeme Clark Scholarship Award.  Bethan has an extraordinary story to tell and one that will inspire many other deaf teenagers with ambitious goals.

Now 25 years old, Bethan was born profoundly deaf and was told that she could never fulfil her dream of becoming a vet.  So, with her hopes dashed, she embarked on a history degree after finishing college.  And, through sheer determination and a lot of hard work, Bethan is in her third year of veterinary medicine at the Royal Veterinary College, London.

This Graeme Clark Scholarship Award is an annual award, worth £6,000 and is open to Nucleus® Cochlear Implant recipients.  It’s aim is to help hearing impaired implant recipients achieve more in continuing further education.

Bethan says that she is the first profoundly deaf student ever admitted to her veterinary college and that she has to work above and beyond her peers on a daily basis to keep up and overcome any problems that arise because of her hearing impairment.  She has come first in her year for two consecutive years which is an incredible achievement and alongside her studies, she also works part time in a veterinary laboratory to help fund her course.  

Bethan had a cochlear implant fitted when she was 11 years old.  She says that it has made a huge difference to her life and that she no longer has to rely on lip reading.  She still uses a hearing aid in one ear and says that it only gives her low-frequency sound so she can’t imagine how she would cope without her cochlear implant.  Bethan is cared for by the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Centre.

Stuart Thomas, Implant Team Manager, Cochlear UK, Ireland and South Africa says, “The sponsorship is a wonderful opportunity to help our recipients by supporting them financially when they continue their education.  It also highlights how lives are enhanced through access to our technology, together with the help of healthcare professionals.

Talking about the award, Bethan says, “This opportunity is a dream come true.  My whole life has been about striving to keep up and show what I can do.  My implant was the first big step in helping me and this award is the next step in fulfilling my dreams of becoming a vet.  Words can’t express my gratitude to Cochlear for this award and to all those who have helped me with my deafness throughout my life.”

Bethan also helps others with hearing impairment and has spoken at many conferences advising parents of deaf children as well as spending time tutoring primary school students and working with disabled students