Wimpie Bekker switch on

Meet Wimpie, a remarkable Grade 11 learner at HTS Pretoria Tuine. He was born with severe tot profound hearing loss in his left ear and has been wearing a hearing aid since the age of 3. At the age of 12, his right ear also indicated signs of hearing loss, and soon thereafter, he didn’t obtain enough benefit from his hearing aids any longer. Due to his hearing loss, Wimpie has always been struggling with language subjects at school. His parents then considered a cochlear implant to help him perform better and to provide him with many successful education and employment opportunities as an adult. Wimpy is doing great with his cochlear implant and shows remarkable improvement at school. Three weeks after the switch on, on 6 May 2016, Wimpie was already able to hear 50% of speech, which is amazing progress in such a short time. He completed his level 1, 2 and 3 first aid courses and started working as a volunteer with Fun-Cure Ambulance services. Wimpie is now also employed on a regular basis by Sport Med. He is a volunteer paramedic with ambulance services as well as with the Community Policing Forum. A great future awaits this young man!

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