Opera Star Hails Double Cochlear Implants as a Hearing Game-Changer

Janine Roebuck, a former opera singer from London, is welcoming a new national trial that could change the lives of many deaf adults. For 30 years, Janine kept her hearing loss a secret while performing at famous places like the Royal Opera House. She was diagnosed with a genetic condition that caused her to lose her hearing as a teenager. After she retired in 2019, she received two cochlear implants, which are electronic devices that help people hear by sending signals to the brain. Janine says that having two implants instead of one has made a huge difference in her life. She feels safer, more secure, and less isolated. If one implant stops working, she is not left in total silence.

The new trial is being organized by Addenbrooke's Hospital and the University of Cambridge. It will take place in 14 hospitals and involve more than 250 patients. Right now, adults in the UK usually only get one cochlear implant, but children often get two. The trial will study if adults benefit from having two implants, just like children do. Participants in the trial must have lost their hearing later in life and cannot already have an implant. They will be watched for a year after surgery to see how the implants affect their ability to hear speech in noisy places, their overall happiness, and their quality of life.

Doctors and scientists hope that giving adults two implants will help them communicate better, feel less lonely, and improve their mental health. The trial will also look at whether it is worth the cost for the National Health Service to provide two implants to adults. Janine Roebuck says that with two implants, she no longer thinks of herself as deaf. She believes this trial could be life-changing for many people, helping them feel more connected and less alone. The trial is expected to start recruiting patients in the autumn, and many are hopeful it will lead to better hearing care for adults in the future.