i n t a t S N io t a ir p s In “[Growing up with hearing loss] has shaped me into who I am today. It has made me stronger, and I wouldn’t change anything, especially now. I found my purpose—what I’m going to do for my career. It was all worth it. Hearing loss, cochlear implants, disabilities in general, nothing can hold you back. You can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it.” — Meghan Westman, Doctor of Audiology, who was one of the youngest cochlear implant recipients in the country when she was implanted at just over a year old. Meghan shares her story of becoming an audiologist with a cochlear implant with NBC Today.
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books We L ve: Eva’s Bookshelf Eva is a 14-year-old girl from New Jersey who has always loved reading. She has hearing loss in her left ear, but with the help of her Roger Focus® receiver and wireless system, she never lets hearing loss hold her back. Ready to discover your next favorite book? Eva invites you to explore her bookshelf. It was really special to receive a copy of the book Astrid Astronaut from the author, Rie Neal, herself. The story features a main character, Astrid, a third grade girl with hearing loss who dreams of being an astronaut. Astrid has had hearing aids since she was very little. They help her to hear quiet noises, and they connect to a microphone that she passes to her teachers, similar to the one I use. Astrid faces some challenges in the story that get in the way of following her hopes and dreams. Even as a teenager, I still enjoyed this book and could relate to Astrid about her life with hearing loss and the challenges she faces both due to hearing loss and also the ones unrelated to her hearing loss. I recommend this book to anyone who likes entertaining books, reading about science and space, books featuring characters with hearing loss, and books that teach valuable lessons.
