Salar was no stranger to the struggles of progressive bilateral hearing loss. Though setbacks and obstacles stood in the way, he was determined to overcome the adversity. Now, as a summa cum laude graduate and JD/MBA graduate student, Salar credits his bilateral cochlear implants and Cochlear’s support, community and innovative technology for much of his success.
“We are the measure of our relative growth. How one overcomes obstacles and grows as a person shows their actual capacity, regardless of the starting situation. I was not provided with an adequate starting hand. Yet, I have repeatedly proven that I can overcome adversity irrespective of its nature and magnitude.
A bumpy road to bilateral cochlear implants
As a child, I grew up with a severe bilateral hearing loss that progressively deteriorated. The inadequate healthcare infrastructure in my native country motivated my family’s immigration to Canada to access optimal treatment options. Gratefully, at the age of 8, I successfully received a cochlear implant in one ear at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Unfortunately, I was not an eligible candidate for operation in the other ear and therefore endured approximately a decade of hearing loss characterized by significant hearing fluctuations compounded with debilitating episodic vertigos. Toward the end of high school, I lost hearing in the other ear and became a candidate for a second cochlear implant. The bilateral cochlear implants, together with rigorous post-operative auditory-verbal therapy, enabled my current normal hearing and communication abilities.
The Cochlear difference
Cochlear has provided nothing but the best in terms of technological improvements and community support. Simply, the brand’s reputation is unparalleled. As a bilateral Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor user, I find myself continuously grateful for the rapid advances, especially given the similarity to my previous hearing state. These innovations have given me the option of wirelessly listening to music via my Android™ cellphones’12 Bluetooth®3, broadcasting television thanks to the True Wireless™ TV Streamer and watching videos from my computer via my Mini Microphone 2, all seamlessly controlled by the Nucleus Smart App on my phone.
The power of cochlear implants
My bilateral cochlear implants and their accessories have allowed me to function normally in everyday settings. In social settings, I feel comfortable talking to my peers without the struggle of trying to process every word they say. Further, as an active person, I feel secure playing tennis, golf, or running with my cochlear implant sound processors.
Most importantly, my cochlear implants have helped me in my academic and professional careers. Thanks to them, I successfully graduated summa cum laude from the McMaster Health Sciences program with a pharmacology undergraduate degree and am enrolled in the University of Toronto’s JD/MBA program.
I hope to aid people within the healthcare industry using my personal knowledge of cochlear implants combined with my future expertise in law and business. Cochlear’s dedicated support and community has led me to become the individual I am today, for which I am forever grateful.”
Does Salar’s success story make you wonder if bilateral cochlear implants could be the right solution for you or a loved one’s hearing loss? Click here to learn more.
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