Opera singer who hid deafness for 30 years hails ‘life-changing’ surgery | Deafness and hearing loss
An opera singer who hid her deafness for more than 30 years has described the “life-changing” surgery that has the potential to become the norm for thousands of NHS patients.
Janine Roebuck, 72, from London, had double cochlear implants fitted to restore her hearing. This method is currently being trialled across the country to see if it can change the lives of thousands of people.
According to current guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), the vast majority of deaf adults are only eligible for a cochlear implant.
This is based on analysis that suggests the two proposals are not cost-effective for the NHS and there is a lack of evidence in this area.
To address this problem, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which receives government funding, is supporting a study of two implants for adults, led by Addenbrooke’s hospital and the University of Cambridge.
Roebuck suffers from hereditary sensorineural hearing loss, which accounts for approximately 70% of all cases of genetic hearing loss.
This situation continued for generations of his family.
In 2019, he had cochlear implant surgery on the NHS for one ear, in line with guidelines, but decided to pay to have the other ear done at the same time.
Although she was a mezzo-soprano and performed in operas, operettas and musicals, including at the Royal Opera House in London, she had hidden her deteriorating hearing for more than 30 years. He is now retired.
She said having the surgery was “the best thing I’ve ever done in my life”, adding: “Having two implants is light years away from just one.
“Sound quality is much better; sounds are fuller, clearer, louder and more natural.
“It is much easier to tell where sounds are coming from, especially in crowded areas.
“If you’re in public it can be difficult to keep track of who’s speaking, making it nearly impossible to participate in conversations.
“As a result, you experience debilitating concentration fatigue at the end of each day.”
He described how the surgery had dramatically improved his life, adding: “Thanks to bilateral implants, I no longer consider myself deaf. They have completely changed my life and broken a generation-long curse for me.”
“Struggling to hear can be extremely isolating and many people may experience anxiety or depression as a result. Implants are life-changing. They reconnect you to the world and, most importantly, to people.”
“Communication is, of course, the longing of every person’s heart. Also, having two implants, I feel safer and more secure. I am more aware of what is happening in the world around me and more connected to them.
“And if something goes wrong with one of the implants, I’m not suddenly plunged into a world of complete silence.”
Roebuck said his father was in the same situation and “dealt with it gracefully and bravely.” His grandfather and his brothers and sisters also struggled.
He said that having the implants opened made him happy and that he discovered new sounds over the next six months.
The new trial will be conducted in 14 hospitals and will include more than 250 adults. They will receive one (unilateral) or two (bilateral) implants so that the results can be compared. Participants in the trial will need to become deaf later in life and cannot currently have implants.
Matthew Smith, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and Prof Debi Vickers, a speech and hearing scientist in the University of Cambridge’s department of clinical neurosciences, are leading the study.
“We know that giving children bilateral implants can have a transformative impact on their quality of life and interactions with other people,” Smith said.
“Thanks to this study, we can offer the same opportunity to deaf adults and understand the potential added value of bilateral cochlear implants, not only in terms of hearing, but also in terms of how they enrich quality of life.”
Vickers said: “Children routinely receive bilateral cochlear implants.
“These can provide three-dimensional hearing, allowing them to hear more naturally than with one-sided hearing, with better access to sound and better interaction with the community.
“Adults tell us that they should be given the same hearing opportunities as children, and I agree.
“These, in turn, will lead to reduced social isolation, enhanced communication, improved mental health and improved overall quality of life.”
Once the trial is completed, it will be sent to Nice for review.
Ralph Holme, research director RNIDShe said: “It is wonderful to hear how life-changing this experience was for Janine and the impact it had on her quality of life.”
