The evening, organised by Cochlear Europe Ltd, included speeches from ENT surgeon Mr David Proops, Cochlear’s David Ashton and Louise Craddock, Audiologist and Co-ordinator at Birmingham Adults’ Cochlear Implant Programme. On presenting the scholarship, The Lord Mayor said: “It’s wonderful that programmes such as this are available to assist Cochlear implant recipients in their further education, and that Amanprit is studying here at the University of Birmingham. I am delighted to be able to present Amanprit with her scholarship.”

Amanprit is the first UK winner of the Cochlear Graeme Clark Scholarship Award. On making the decision to have a cochlear implant, Amanprit says: “The main reason for getting a CI was for my career. However, I have to admit that it has exceeded all my expectations in the working environment as well as socially. The main difference is being able to hear speech clearly and not relying on lip-reading so much. I am able to pick out sentences on the radio and understand the TV without subtitles. I am also able to follow small group conversations, especially in seminars at university and meetings at work.”

Amanda Whiffin, General Manager at Cochlear said: “The sponsorship is a wonderful opportunity to help our recipients by supporting them financially when they continue their education. It also highlights how lives are enhanced through access to our technology, together with the help of healthcare professionals.”

Read about Amanprit's cochlear implant experience in her diary.

Watch Cochlear's documentary of Amanprit, here.

About Graeme Clark
Graeme Clark is the Professor of the Department of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne, Australia. It is the pioneering work of his university department that led to the first Nucleus Cochlear Implant being developed in 1982. Amanprit was ‘implanted’ at The Centre for Hearing and Balance Assessment, Rehabilitation and Research (HARC) in Selly Oak, Birmingham.