+27 (12) 333-3130
info@hearingloss.org.za
Forever Resorts SA Charity Golf Day 2019
We thank each and every person involved in this amazing Charity day. We can’t wait to change lives in 2020 – thanks to you!
Deafness in Children – The assessment of auditory functions and development of life skills
The period from birth to 5 years of life is very important for speech and language development, therefore, there is a need for early identification and early hearing loss and rehabilitation in infants and children.
It is important to know the degree and type of hearing loss. The goal of rehabilitation of every child with hearing loss is the development of speaking and language skills, adjustments in society and useful employment in a vocation.
Change a life with the gift of hearing on Mandela Day 2019!
“What you are doing here, is turning tragedy into triumph” – Mr. Nelson Mandela’s words in 2002 when Eduplex was officially opened.
Mandela Day calls us all to make the world a better place, we celebrate his legacy in our sustainable way to bring a lasting gift of hearing.
In many communities, poverty and poor-quality resources leave deaf children being excluded from society and preventing them from reaching their full potential in the work environment. In a country of economic uncertainties, we intend to support patients with financial needs. Most of our beneficiaries resides in rural communities and can’t afford a Cochlear Implant.
How You Can Change a Life Today!
- Donate R67 or more towards the gift of hearing for a child in need.
- Spend your 67 minutes to share this positive initiative and motivate 6 OR 7 friends to do the same.
CLICK HERE TO CHANGE A LIFE TODAY!
Every Cent Counts!
Willem Malan Cochlear Implant Journey
30-year-old Willem Malan was diagnosed with a genetic disorder, called CMT, which is believed to be the cause of his hearing loss.
According to his parents he could hear certain sounds during his childhood, but was diagnosed with hearing loss at the age of 7 years and received his first hearing aids at the age of 9 years.
Although he was dependant on his hearing aids, his hearing loss unfortunately deteriorated over the years. Because of his progressive hearing loss, Willem does not receive benefit from his hearing aids any longer and was approved for a cochlear implant. His device was switched on, on 20 June when he heard sound for the first time via a cochlear implant.
Thanks to the financial support from Studex SA, Willem received the Gift of Hearing on 20 May 2019.
Watch: The girl with blue eyes has her hearing aid switched on for first time
A little girl with the most piercing blue eyes has started a meaningful conversation; now we get to see the start of her incredible journey!
Pretoria, South Africa – Florence Ziniel and her daughter Chogtaa are from Ghana. Chogtaa was born with a rare genetic disorder called Waardenburg syndrome which means that she has ice blue eyes but is also deaf.
Waardenburg syndrome is a rare genetic disorder most often characterised by varying degrees of deafness, minor defects in structures arising from the neural crest, and pigmentation changes. It was first described in 1951.
Florence worked hard to raise funds, despite all the misinformation and fear-mongering they faced, to get her daughter a cochlear implant, in the hopes that helping her hear, would help get her ahead in life. Florence and Chogtaa were assisted by the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in Southern Africa.
The foundation is a non-profit that works to help children in South Africa and internationally. They launched their first project, Eduplex.
After hearing Chogtaa’s story, Eduplex immediately offered her a fully-funded place in their school where she will learn to speak. The first video they shared spoke of Chogtaa and Florence’s journey to South Africa, now they have shared an update showing Chogtaa’s first time hearing.
They joined forces with “The Oakes Collective” to create a video to tell her story, and change the idea behind “the girl with blue eyes”.
Take a look at the life-changing moment below. PS: Grab a few tissues because we cried like babies watching this!
It is now more critical than ever that Chogtaa gets a chance to learn at a school that is catered to her needs.
The school is appealing to anyone for help as now that Chogtaa is ready to start learning, being in a critical stage of her life, they need to get Florence settled into South Africa. She needs help with obtaining the correct visa to live here while Chogtaa gets the much-needed education she deserves.
If you can offer any assistance, you can contact Erika Basson via email or call them on +27 (0) 12 333 3130.
Hearing miracle in Pretoria for girl (2) born with rare syndrome.
The implanted device will be switched on for the first time on 15 March allowing the toddler to hear sound for the first time.
The cochlear operation on a two-year-old Ghanian girl at the Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital in Muckleneuk was successful.
Chogtaa Dumeh from northern Ghana was born with a rare condition, Waardenburg syndrome type two, which was also the cause of profound hearing loss in both her ears.
Waardenburg syndrome is also characterised by varying degrees of depigmentation of the eyes.
The operation was done in South Africa because it was is not available in her country.
She was due to have her bandages removed on Monday.
The head of the cochlear implant division of the Ear Institute in Pretoria Dr. Catherine van Dijk described the procedure as a success, adding she had received a good reading in theatre.
After the operation Chogtaa’s mother, Florence Ziniel said she was very relieved that the operation was such a huge success.
“I am extremely grateful for all the support we have received so far to have made this miracle operation possible,” she said.
She said she was very positive about a future in South Africa that would provide her little girl with the best opportunities concerning her circumstances.
The implanted device will be switched on for the first time on 15 March allowing the toddler to hear sound for the first time.
An intensive rehabilitation process of a minimum of six to nine months would follow, consisting of speech and language therapy as well as regular programming of the device as her brain adapts to sound.
The operation was made possible by the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss in SA who raised funds – and received donations from generous individual donors as well as Studex South Africa, community chest of the Western Cape and Isa Gold.
Other sponsors were: Afi Antonio and her foundation in Ghana received donations from donors across Africa; St Raphael Catholic Church Lashibi in Ghana; and Doctors and Hospital Discounts (Zuid Afrikaans Hospital).
Erika Basson manager of the Foundation for Children with Hearing Loss would assist Chogtaa and her mother to get permanent residence in South Africa in order for Chogtaa to receive the best audiological management for a better future with her cochlear implant.
“We are also aiming to start raising funds for Chogtaa’s second implant – the goal is to receive the second implant early in 2020,” she said.
Basson said a bursary placement has been secured for Chogtaa at a mainstream school in Pretoria, the Eduplex, which catered for deaf children with assistive devices.
Chogtaa will receive quality mainstream education including the required speech and language therapy, audiology management, as well as parent guidance for her mother as long as she attended this school.
The Ear Institute in Pretoria promised to assist Chogtaa with future repairs on her cochlear implant device when needed, including the programming of her device on a regular basis.