Kevin's patient story
Kevin received his cochlear implant in August 2022. Below he shares with us his story as a patient.
"It hasn’t quite sunk in my head yet that next year I am going to represent my country (along with others) in the World Deaf Golf championships in Australia. 7,500 miles is a long way to go for 4 rounds of golf.
I don’t see me as an inspirational person but perhaps it does show that you are never too old to dream. I have suffered poor hearing since birth and as a child I would not wear my hearing aids because the other kids made fun of me. So I have never really embraced me for what I am, and for being different to others.
Then as I got older, so the hearing got worse, and as an adult I would wear my hearing aids. Then the loss of hearing in the right ear was so bad that the hearing aid was not able to help me.
At this point I was referred to the Emmeline Centre at Addenbrooke’s.
This is when my life turned over a new leaf and marked the start of an amazing journey.
I have met some amazing people at the Emmeline Centre audiologists and rehab staff. I was extremely nervous about a hole being drilled in my head.
I was put in touch with Cambridgeshire Deaf Association (CDA). I had a chat with a cochlear implant user. That, along with the support of close friends, I went ahead with the operation. Rehab team asked me what was my goal. I said to hear my grandchildren more clearly. Since the operation and rehab this has been achieved. CDA asked me to
volunteer to help others in the deaf community. I did and from that I found out about England Deaf football. I looked on Google and found England Deaf Golf and the World Deaf Golf in 2024. So this old man had a dream and wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could make the team.
I could have just stood in my garden and looked up to the sky. But I chose to get involved and spread my wings to feel the wind and fly. Now I can hear my grandchildren and the birds sing. The dream to play for England Deaf has come true. What a wonderful journey this has been."