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News, Views... SIGNstific comes to the Science Museum
Exciting new programme SIGNstific is coming to the Science Museum in London! This will comprise of a range of shows, workshops and storytelling led by Deaf presenters, and DeafBlog readers are invited to be special guests at their debut...
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Deaf and Blind Youth Service Launched in Leeds
Leading deaf and blind charity coHearentVision has launched its new contemporary Youth Service for children and young people in Yorkshire. Based in Leeds, the coHearentVision Youth Service will provide a one-stop-shop where sensory loss children and young people can...
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Sabina Iqbal wins Tesco magazine Mum of the Year Award
For the fifth year, UK mums have been honoured at the Tesco magazine Mum of the Year awards. The awards recognise the achievements of exceptional mums whose love, dedication, bravery or kindness has touched the lives of the people...
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Glue ear special
What is glue ear? Glue ear is a condition where the middle ear fills with glue-like fluid instead of air. With fluid blocking the middle ear, it becomes difficult for sound to pass through to the inner ear and...
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Painkillers increase risk of going deaf
Regularly popping painkillers such as paracetamol can significantly increase the danger of going deaf, new research has revealed. Users of the three mainstream painkillers widely available over the counter from pharmacists – paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen – are all...
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Why hearing with two ears is better than one
Frequently asked questions about bilateral cochlear implants Should I get two cochlear implants at the same time? Some bilateral cochlear implant recipients have both devices implanted during the same surgery. Other bilateral recipients receive their second device later during...
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New twilight lecture at The Ear Foundation
Ruminations of an Old Man - A Fifty Year Perspective on Clinical Practice, by David Luterman, D.Ed. Thursday 11 March 2010 @ 5.30pm - FREE The Ear Foundation has welcomed David Luterman back to present this lecture on 50 years...
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Janine Roebuck sings it loud!
Glamorous but never a diva, opera singer Janine Roebuck throws a few notes the way of Alice Lagnado in an interview for February's One in Seven magazine. She talks about forging a successful career as a singer despite being...
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New community at Deaf4Life
We were contacted by Deaf4Life this week about its free community which helps to 'bring the D/deaf community together'....
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Meet Ruby, the youngest baby to have the Nucleus 5 cochlear implant
Like any other baby, Ruby Hallows loves to hear her favourite songs 'The Wheels on the Bus' and 'Baa Baa Black Sheep.' However, it was only a couple of months ago that the one year-old heard these tunes for...
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DJ Judge Jules: Turn it down or risk going deaf
RNID researchers have discovered that more than one in five people listen to music at sound levels of 100 decibels or more – the equivalent of hearing a pneumatic drill ten feet away. DJ Judge Jules, 43, has paid...
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Looking for the charity management class of 2010
A unique professional development programme run by a consortium of leading charities is now recruiting graduates and high flyers to join in September 2010. Charity Works provides a dynamic one year mentoring and learning programme for up to 24...
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Wasabi smoke alarms in today's news
Chris Evans was talking about a smoke alarm which has been designed for deaf people, on his BBC Radio 2 show this morning. Instead of an ear-piercing wail, the device unleashes the chemical compound 'Allyl Isothiocyanate', which gives horseradish,...
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There's a buzz about National Tinnitus Week
Imagine wearing a pair of headphones that are playing the sound of a whistling kettle. Imagine wearing those headphones all day, and all night, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Horrific it might sound, but that’s what...
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Stephanie Beacham evicted from CBB in fifth place
Stephanie Beacham described her Celebrity Big Brother experience as blissful, when she was evicted in fifth place on Friday. The former 'Dynasty' actress, who has 80 percent hearing in her left ear and no hearing in her right, told...
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One year anniversary of NICE guidance on cochlear implants
One year has now passed since NICE recommended that children with severe or profound deafness should be given the option of simultaneous bilateral cochlear implants. The good news is that this does seem to be happening across England, and...
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Shortfall in care for deaf-blind people in Somerset
An investigation by BBC Somerset has shown the needs of thousands of deaf-blind people are not being met....
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Watch Amanprit Johal's cochlear implant story
Profoundly deaf since birth, Amanprit relied on hearing aids and lip-reading for all communication until the age of 21. In 2008 it was announced that Amanprit was the first UK winner of the Cochlear Graeme Clark Scholarship Award, an...
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Born-deaf racer inspires kids
His words were inspirational for children, who like him, would hear nothing if not for their cochlear implants. Kris Martin was born profoundly deaf, but thanks to the cochlear implant and his own determination he became a race car...
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After Cochlear Implant, music therapy may help speech
Music therapy can aid speech development in hearing-impaired toddlers after they receive cochlear implants, researchers have found....
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Sting to support global hearing loss campaign
Grammy award winning singer songwriter Sting will lend his support to the Hear the World initiative, a global hearing loss campaign that helps raise awareness about the importance of hearing and the consequences of hearing loss. Sting joins a...
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Get on your bike for the RNID
RNID is urging fundraisers to shrug off their festive hangovers and get in shape for an exhilarating cycle challenge raising vital funds for the charity's work with hearing loss and hearing health. The charity would like to hear from...
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The drug that could end tinnitus
The Daily Mail has revealed today that a drug pump which is implanted in the ear is the latest approach for tackling tinnitus. It works by releasing a powerful new medicine that calms the overactive nerves thought to cause...
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Ignite the Flame: A creative writing competition
Budding young, disabled writers living in Wales are invited to enter a poem or short story into a competition which has been organised by Disability Arts Cymru....
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Laura Jakubowski's cochlear implant experience
The DeafBlog featured Laura's story in a five part diary series, and has since been following her experience on her own blog. Laura's most recent post is a helpful list of the pros and cons of her cochlear implant....
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Life-saving Jumble is Hearing Dog of the Month
A dog who alerted his deaf owner to a potentially devastating fire in her Gourock home has been awarded the title Hearing Dog of the Month....
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Stephanie Beacham enters the Big Brother house!
Stephanie Beacham was the fourth celebrity to enter the Big Brother house last night. Stephanie, who has featured on the DeafBlog a couple of times recently, has 80 percent hearing in her left ear and no hearing in her...
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New research shows hope for tinnitus sufferers
Pioneering new research funded by RNID has revealed hope for the early treatment of tinnitus. The study, led by researchers at the University of Western Australia, has identified a six week period where future treatments may be able to...
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Scientific breakthrough could bring repair of hearing loss closer
A new study into hearing has uncovered the secret of our extraordinary ability to perceive a range of sounds - from a pin dropping to the roar of a jet engine - and could lead to a better understanding...
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Big Brother needs you!
The team behind next year’s 'Big Brother' are looking for new housemates, and are keen to represent all sections of society – including deaf/HoH people. A spokesperson for production company Endemol told Able Magazine: “We’re looking for vibrant contributors...
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Rebecca French awarded Graeme Clark Scholarship Award
Student Rebecca French has been awarded a €6,000 scholarship from the Cochlear UK Graeme Clark Scholarship Award, which will help to support her through university. Rebecca, 19, from Durham, is profoundly deaf, but was given the sensation of hearing...
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Breakthrough on cinema access as first subtitled 3D film shows
NDCS has welcomed news that, for the first time, deaf children and young people will be able to enjoy a 3D film, Disney's A Christmas Carol, with subtitles at the cinema. In a statement, NDCS said, 'The National Deaf...
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Award for deaf Everton FC footballer
A deaf girl who plays for Everton FC has received a top award at a Deaf Friendly Football Conference in Anfield. Danielle Evans, 16, won the Young Person of the Project award, which was presented to Danielle by Portsmouth...
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Deaf entrepreneur is role model to others
A deaf businessman who has been hailed as a North West enterprise ambassador has been honoured by his home town of Bolton....
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Do you want to be a model?
If so, look no further! We've been informed that Sinclair Management is holding an open casting day on the 14th December in London. The company, which promotes 'models of diversity' rather than 'models of uniformity' is looking for models...
Health survey for deaf people
A charity helping deaf people in Birmingham has received a grant to carry out a survey into the health of people with hearing difficulties....
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Petition to save the BSC Audiology programme
We've been informed about a petition which is part of the British Academy of Audiology strategy to save the BSc Audiology programmes. These are threatened by a Department of Health-imposed generic Physiological Sciences programme and withdrawal of funding for...
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Researchers create mobile phones for sign language
For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, mobile phone use has largely been limited to text messaging. But technology is catching up: Cornell researchers have created mobiles that allow deaf people to communicate in sign language -...
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TV presenters urge people in rural areas to get their hearing checked
Do you love the calming countryside sounds of birds singing, lambs mewing, cockerels crowing or lapping lakes? As part of its Hearing Matters campaign, RNID is calling on people in rural areas to think about your favourite 'Sound of...
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Drum goes online!
Drum, the Cochlear Club annual magazine has gone online! Hearing implant recipients can now get top tips, shared experiences, Cochlear UK company and product updates, from the new site as well as from the magazine. The site, at drum-online.com...
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Baha opens new world for Alex
Alex Patel has been given a new world of opportunity thanks to a new Baha....
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Stephanie Beacham claims, "I used to get called 'Deaf Steph' at school"
"I used to get called 'Deaf Steph' at school," claims Stephanie Beacham, "and the hurt will live with me forever." "As a child, being deaf was dreadfully isolating, but I'm lucky to have any hearing at all. My mother,...
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Vatican officials say church must improve service to deaf community
While the Catholic Church no longer considers deafness an impediment to ordination, there are only 13 priests in the world who were ordained deaf, said officials of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry. Msgr. Jean-Marie Mpendawatu, undersecretary of...
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I'm nearly blind and deaf, I can't walk but I can play guitar...
Busking is a tough way of making money at the best of times. The young musicians, who usually entertain passers-by outside shops and railway stations, have a hard enough time enduring the wind and rain which is an occupational...
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Baby is 1,000th cochlear implant patient
The Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme is celebrating its 1,000th patient - an eight-month-old baby. Nottingham University Hospitals Trust runs the programme at the Queen' s Medical Centre and the Ropewalk in Nottingham. The first cochlear implant operation was carried out...
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YouTube introduces automatic captions to videos
In a move that will make thousands more videos accessible to the deaf and hearing impaired, Google announced that videos on its YouTube site would sport machine-generated automatic captions. Google has offered user-generated captioned videos for three years. What...
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BBC casts deaf actress in lead role
A deaf actress has been handed the lead role in a primetime BBC thriller. Genevieve Barr will play deaf teenager Amelia Edwards in a new BBC1 four part series called The Silence. She won the role while on the...
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ITV under fire for deaf services cutbacks
ITV bosses are coming under fire after making cutbacks to their sign-language department, Signpost. The department is shedding seven of its 24 sign language experts who appear on programmes for the deaf and hard of hearing. The British Deaf...
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Deaf dancer wins South Africa’s Got Talent
A deaf 19 year-old South African Indian hip-hop dancer Darren Rajbal has won South Africa’s Got Talent. The show, which follows the exact format of Britain’s Got Talent, has been going on for the past three months and featured...
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Hope for drug that prevents hearing loss in old age
Scientists in America claim to have pinpointed the gene that causes hearing loss in old age. The research revealed that a gene called ‘bak’ is the main cause of developing the condition. This could lead to various medical breakthroughs...
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Hard-of-hearing businessman shortlisted for Stelios Entrepreneur Award
Mohammad Al Ubaydli from Cambridge hasn’t let his hearing impairment stop him from running a successful IT business in the health sector and being nominated for the Stelios Award for Disabled Entreprenuers. Mohammad, 33 became hard-of-hearing following a genetic...
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Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity to meet deaf youngsters
A group of deaf youngsters will have the chance to meet the winners of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, Diversity. The event, which is supported by the Bromley Deaf Children’s Society, will take place at the Glades shopping centre...
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Buckinghamshire Labrador is top dog for November
Ludo, a hearing dog in Buckinghamshire has been named Hearing Dog of the Month by the charity that trained him. Ludo was six months old when he was donated to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People by a member of...
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Alan Knight campaigns to change attitudes to deafness
Pompey football legend Alan Knight spent years struggling to hear conversations. But now hearing aids have transformed his life and he is campaigning to change attitudes to deafness. 'That John Westwood has got a lot to answer for,' smiles...
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Motocross rider Josh to be featured on See Hear
Coleford Motocross rider Josh Waterman is to be featured on the BBC2 programme for the deaf, See Hear, on November 11. Josh, 17, recently clinched the British MXY2 and BYMX Championships. He represented England and is an AutoCycle Union...
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Survey calls for IT to help hearing impaired patients
More than half of deaf and hearing impaired patients regularly face difficulties communicating with their GP surgery and would like practices to make greater use of IT solutions, according to a new survey. Patient information website Patient.co.uk and charity...
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Little Miss Sunshine meets The Miracle Worker
Helen Keller is to be revived on Broadway next year, in a stage version of The Miracle Worker. Keller will be played by 12yr old Abigail Breslin, who is best known for her role in independent sleeper hit Little...
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Lottery brings helping hand for deaf community in Leicester
New opportunities are set to blossom for hard-to-reach deaf people and their families in Leicester, following a cash injection of £243,900 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG). The HearNow project is celebrating news of a grant from BIG’s Reaching...
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Mr Motivator backs RNID campaign
Legendary fitness instructor, Mr Motivator, is calling on fundraisers to get fit, get energised and sign-up now for RNID’s London to Paris cycle challenge and raise vital funds for the charity’s work with hearing loss and hearing health. The...
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Jacqui Smith challenges Parliament to improve access for deaf constituents
Jacqui Smith MP has raised the issue of access to Parliament for disabled people on the floor of Parliament. Jacqui was concerned that when she tried to arrange for Redditch Deaf Club to visit Parliament she was told that...
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Top computer honour for deaf student
A deaf computer whiz has been named the most enterprising student in Scotland....
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Documentary about 27 year-old man who hears for first time premieres
Brooklyn Girl Productions presents the premiere of the award-winning documentary film 'From Silence to Sound' at the New York International Film Festival this Friday. The film tells the story of Justin Garrett, a man who has been profoundly deaf...
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New hope for blind based on cochlear implants
An artificial retina could restore sight to the blind, according to new research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The device can be plugged directly into the optic nerve and is based on cochlear implants. "We are skipping the...
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MP backs campaign to help deaf children achieve their potential
Richard Benyon, MP for Newbury, met with Louis Kissaun - the deaf 17 year-old TV star, at the Conservative Party conference, to find out about the barriers deaf young people face at school. Louis, who attends the Mary Hare...
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Deaf teenagers given starring roles in new era of TV drama
A new drama starring deaf teenagers from South London has aired on the community channel and online....
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The new Baha BP100 - the gem you have to hear
Cochlear's newest innovation is the world's first programmable sound processor, built exclusively for bone conduction. With 30 years of experience developing bone conduction solutions, along with input from Baha users, parents, and professionals, Cochlear has delivered a gem! Clarity...
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Dancing duo prove they’ve got rhythm
Two talented young dancers have been crowned world champions. Mikey Riddington-Smith, 13, and his dance partner Edward Jones, 14, both from Bedford, won the under 16s World Electro Boogie Street Dancing Championship in Poland. Mikey was born profoundly deaf...
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BBC searches for CI recipient to play lead role in new drama
The BBC is looking to cast an aspiring deaf (or hearing impaired) actress in the lead female role of new drama, The Silence. The girl should be aged around 16 to 19 and does not have to have had...
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Helen Keller statue is unveiled in Washington
A bronze statue of Helen Keller was unveiled in Washington yesterday as lawmakers praised her as a trailblazer and an inspiration for those with disabilities. The statue shows Keller, who lost her sight and hearing to illness when she...
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Cochlear celebrates with special celebrity guests
Hard of hearing adults and children* and their families enjoyed a day of education, fun and laughter at Cochlear’s Celebrations on Saturday (3 October). The event, which was held at The Heart of England Centre in Warwickshire, saw the...
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The DeafBlog is up for prestigious award
The DeafBlog has been shortlisted for a prestigious award! The Blog has reached the shortlist in the ‘Best Website or Microsite’ category of the 2009 CIPR awards. The winners will be announced at a presentation dinner in November....
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iPods to be fitted with noise limiters under new EU rules
Mobile phones and iPods that blast out music at ear-shattering levels are having their volumes turned down. The news that personal music players will be fitted with noise limiting controls will delight the parents of teenagers and anyone who...
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RNID finds that despite 'recession' more young people are going out and risking hearing damage
The number of young people going out to loud clubs, gigs and festivals has increased by 20% in 2009, RNID's Don't Lose the Music campaign has found as part of its annual poll of music lovers. The campaign, which...
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Your invitation to Cochlear's Celebrations
Cochlear's 2009 Celebrations' Day is now just a week away and the DeafBlog is pleased to be able to update you on the programme of events and the special celebrity guest appearances that you can expect. Celebrations 2009 will...
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Deaf World 2009 - in celebration of Hampshire Deaf Association’s 130th anniversary
Deaf World 2009, the largest exhibition of its kind in the south will be held this year at The Rose Bowl, Botley Road, West End, Southampton on Thursday 1st October, 10am – 4pm. Entry is free and everyone is...
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Deaf Holly is a ‘miracle’ piano star
A ten year-old girl who became deaf after getting meningitis as a baby has defied doctors by becoming a talented pianist. Holly Loach suffered brain damage as a tot and her parents - both musicians - were told she...
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Deaflympics official hails success of Taiwan event
The organiser of the 21st Summer Deaflympics has praised Taiwan for hosting the 'best ever' Deaflympics as the 10-day games drew to a close in Taipei. The closing ceremony, marked by fireworks, a traditional dragon dance and other local...
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Donation helps Hearing Dogs for Deaf People spread the word
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has welcomed a donation of more than £40 000 from Qualcomm Incorporated, which will pay for the training and care of a working hearing dog and expand the network of speakers who give talks...
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Deaf artist sings a song of colour
Deaf Wrexham artist Emily May Peters has dedicated her new exhibition ‘Sing A Song Of Colour’ to her beloved hearing dog Cassy, who passed away earlier this year. Emily, 63, studied Stained Glass and Mosaics where she developed a...
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Deaf dog rescued from cave
Rescue workers in Australia have saved a deaf dog after he got stuck in a cave for five days. A cavalier King Charles Spaniel, called Scooby, could not hear the calls from his anxious owners....
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BREAKING NEWS! New Cochlear Nucleus 5 System launched
Global leader in hearing solutions, Cochlear has launched a new cochlear implant system that is designed to give patients best hearing performance, with the world’s thinnest cochlear implant. Like everyone, people with impaired hearing want to lead an active...
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Northants Mongrel Tiffin is top hearing dog for September
A Brackley hearing dog has been awarded the Hearing Dog of the Month award by the charity that trained her. Four year old mongrel, Tiffin, started life as a stray in the Republic of Ireland, and was seven months...
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Edinburgh Fringe Festival leaves hard of hearing visitors out of the loop
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is not accessible for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, charity RNID has revealed, after undercover ‘mystery shopper’ research. The largest charity working in the UK with hearing loss and hearing health found...
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Nine year-old learns sign language to communicate with deaf mother
Nine year-old Tayla Reynolds has become one of the youngest in Britain to gain a sign language qualification so she could communicate better with her hearing impaired mother. Tayla successfully learnt more than 600 gestures in British Sign Language because...
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Calvin Harris plays V Festival despite 'being deaf in one ear'
Calvin Harris played a triumphant show at V Festival in Chelmsford on Saturday despite telling the crowd he was "deaf in one ear". The singer/producer played despite his ailment, with hits including 'Ready for the Weekend' and 'Acceptable in...
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Andrew Thomson meets the Prime Minister
Andrew Thomson, Winner of the Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur and Director of Sign Now met Gordon Brown and Business Secretary Peter Mandleson at a Building Britain’s Future event held at 10 Downing Street. The meeting was held as a way of...
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Local support for national hearing screening programme
A call for a national hearing screening programme has today been welcomed by Suffolk’s leading hearing health care specialist. Karen Finch, of The Hearing Care Centre, echoed the views of the RNID that tackling hearing loss would reduce isolation...
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Hearing Dog of the Year Awards
Date: 6 October 2009 Time: 6.30pm - 10.30pm Venue: The Vintners’ Hall, Upper Thames Street, London EC4V 3BG The annual Hearing Dog of the Year Awards this year will be held at the beautiful and historic Vintners Hall in...
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Deaf soldier wins £330K damages from MoD
A soldier has won £330,000 from the Ministry of Defence for hearing loss, after being told not to wear earplugs during a training exercise to make it more "battle realistic". Charles Bradlaugh was left with hearing loss and tinnitus....
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At last, there's an end to the torment of Ménière's
Taken from Mail Online A constant ringing in her ears was the first sign that something was wrong. A few weeks later Benie Jewels also started experiencing dizzy spells. 'It felt as if I was spinning, but mostly as...
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Steam enthusiasts stoked up for charity challenge
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the national UK charity, is benefiting from an historic charity drive in an unusual steam car all the way from the very far north to the most southern tip of the United Kingdom. Dean...
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Deaf-blind communication goes portable
A new portable device for deaf-blind people allows them to have face-to-face conversations, make phone calls using a text relay service and communicate by SMS. The DeafBlind Communicator consists of a Braille note-taker linked by Bluetooth to a mobile...
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New Chat and Share group starts in Malvern
A new group for deaf people has formed in Malvern, Worcestershire, and will start next month. If you live locally, have a hearing loss or tinnitus and would like to meet people and learn new skills, you're invited to join...
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Cochlear Europe's 2009 celebrations
Don't forget that Cochlear's celebrations day is fast approaching, so make it a date for your diary! Taking place on Saturday 3rd October, at the Heart of England Centre in Birmingham, the event will be the largest gathering of...
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Piggle is top hearing dog for August
Brighton hearing dog Piggle, who tells his severely deaf owner about household sounds including the doorbell, telephone and smoke alarm has just been named Hearing Dog of the Month by the charity that trained him. Piggle is quite an...
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People still pumping up the volume
A new survey has found that most people would turn their music down if they were told to by a doctor or other health-care professional. The survey, which was carried out by Vanderbilt University, in conjunction with MTV, revealed...
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Loud music made me deaf, says Dire Staits star John Illsley
John Illsley, bass guitarist for the Dire Straits has admitted that loud rock music has ruined his hearing. Having toured constantly from 1976 to 1992 and exposed his ears to damaging levels of decibels, he has sustained considerable hearing...
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RNID awarded gift from legendary actor's foundation
The RNID has received a major gift to a UK charity from the late Hollywood actor Paul Newman's Foundation, which will be used to support the charity's pioneering Hear to Help project in North Wales....
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Airports must listen to disabled travellers
Leonard Cheshire Disability says many airports do not meet the needs of disabled passengers one year on, despite EU law....
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Suffolk business has the ear of the stars
The global Hear the World Ambassadors photography exhibition opened its doors in the UK last week, supported by Suffolk’s local hearing care specialists, The Hearing Care Centre. The exhibition – previously featured in New York, Berlin and Zurich –...
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New videos in BSL to help and inspire deaf parents
Being a parent can be the adventure of a lifetime, but for some people it can also present many challenges. A new series of films have been created in British Sign Language (BSL) to highlight some of the issues...
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Signing would greatly improve deaf people's GP experiences
'Deaf people have serious difficulties accessing basic healthcare services and their needs are being ignored', the Guardian reported yesterday. According to this year's GP patient survey, thirty percent of deaf people in the UK are unemployed, permanently sick or...
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World of Sound speaks up on NICE
Following the major breakthrough in the provision of cochlear implants for profoundly deaf children and adults, the latest drive to raise awareness of the procedure has been launched on campaigning website, World of Sound, (www.worldofsound.org.uk.) World of Sound talks...
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Sign Now and The Travel Company announce partnership
Andrew Thomson, Director of Sign Now and Ken McNab, Director of The Travel Company have announced a joint venture to promote easy travel arrangements using the combined expertise of both companies....
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Jo gets invited to Palace party
A woman who is deaf and blind will enjoy a garden party at Buckingham Palace tomorrow as a reward for her work supporting others with similar handicaps. Jo Stimson, 59, is involved with national charity Sense and was invited...
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Deaf percussionist celebrates university degree
Deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie hit the news yesterday after ‘drumming up’ an honorary degree from Edinburgh Napier University. Evelyn picked up her Honorary Doctorate of Music alongside other graduates, and used the scrolls for an impromptu display of her...
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Charities seek young scientists to research age-related hearing loss
The RNID and Research into Ageing have joined forces to strengthen research into age-related hearing loss. The charities are inviting applications for a series of co-funded research projects to investigate why hearing declines with age and to advance the...
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Golf can drive you deaf
It's already been reported that golfers should consider wearing ear plus, as the sport can risk their hearing. Now a new report out today reveals that modern drivers do infact make such a noise when they hit the ball...
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The Cochlear UK Graeme Clark Scholarship opens for applications
The Cochlear UK Graeme Clark Scholarship 2009, a unique award available to Nucleus cochlear implant (CI) recipients nationwide, is now open for applications. The award, set up to support implant recipients financially when they continue further education at an...
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Fun at Southampton Deaf Football Festival
Deaf children aged 6-16 enjoyed an exciting day of football coaching and games yesterday, as part of a joint venture between NDCS and Southampton FC. Southampton Deaf Football Festival took place at Fleming Park Leisure Centre in Eastleigh and...
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New taxi firm for deaf people
Deaf passengers are in for a smoother ride following the launch of a new taxi company in South Tyneside, a town between Newcastle Upon Tyne and Sunderland....
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Tom Malloy talks about new role as deaf swing dance champion
In the upcoming romantic dance film Love N’ Dancing, screenwriter and actor Tom Malloy cast himself as a former swing dance champion who is deaf. In a recent interview with TheStarScoop.com, Tom, who plays the character Jake, explained that...
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Stephanie Beacham's 60 second interview
Actress Stephanie Beacham - famed for her role in the 80s smash Dynasty and recent parts in Bad Girls and Coronation Street, spoke to Metro this week about her hearing impairment. Stephanie, who is supporting The Sound Barrier Stars...
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Special day for deaf children in Devon
Deaf children and their families from the Devon area are invited to a free regional fun day, organised by the NDCS. It'll be held at Animal Farm Adventure Park, Red Road, Berrow, Burnham-on-Sea, TA8 2RW, this Saturday (July 11)...
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How a jab in your ear could banish tinnitus for good
An injection that's administered into the eardrum could help relieve tinnitus, the Daily Mail reports. The jab contains a drug that blocks the brain chemical glutamate, which is thought to play a key role in the development of tinnitus....
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Suffolk audiologist wins top honour
A well-known and highly respected figure within the hearing care industry has been honoured for her contributions to the industry. Karen Finch who runs a very successful hearing aid business in Suffolk has been awarded the Ruth Spencer Prize...
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Recycled phones to help deaf charity
For those with old mobile phones who do not want to throw them away, but no longer have a use for them, Regenersis and Deafness Research UK have created a new mobile recycling program that will aid deafness projects...
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Twilight Lecture by Bencie Woll, Monday 13 July
The next Twilight Lecture will be given by Bencie Woll. The free event, "Language and the Deaf Brain" will take place on Monday 13th July at 5.30pm at The Ear Foundation. Bencie Woll is professor of Sign Language and...
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New communications service for deaf people
Deaf and foreign language patients at the Royal United Hospital will be helped by a pioneering new communications service. The RUH, Bath, is working with Sign Health, a national charity for deaf people, to offer a service called Sign...
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Subtitled cinema service shortlisted for National Lottery Awards 2009
'YourLocalCinema.com', the not-for-profit cinema listings and information service for people with hearing or sight difficulties, has been shortlisted for a National Lottery Award in the 'Best Arts Project' category. Your vote is needed to make the finals....
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Hearing Times is giving back to charity!
Hearing Times, the only national newspaper for people with hearing loss in the UK, is setting up a campaign to donate money to charities on readers' behalves....
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Donaldson's proves that actions speak louder than words
Donaldson’s, Scotland’s national residential and day school for children who are deaf or have speech and language difficulties, has proven its commitment to providing pupils, staff and visitors with the best level of care and support, by achieving RNID’s...
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Sign Tube heads to Taipei for Deaflympics
Andrew and Caroline Thomson, Directors of Sign Now.com are heading out to Taipei in September this year to cover the Deaflympics. Andrew and Caroline will act as media correspondents for their time in Taipei and will be posting videos...
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19-year old Marume scoops Miss Deaf 2009
Zimbabwe has held its first ever Miss Deaf Zimbabwe Pageant, with 15 ladies taking part. The event, taking place for the first time in the country was held in preparation for the Miss Deaf World 2009 Beauty Pageant to be...
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Siemens launches ‘Decibels for Life’
New campaign aims for hearing awareness and instrument innovation ‘Decibels for Life’, the new campaign from Siemens Hearing Instruments, has been launched to maintain awareness of hearing loss. It will also champion hearing innovations that help overcome impairments leading...
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Sign Now and Central Scotland Police work in partnership on hate crime
Central Scotland Police has signalled its commitment to equality within the communities it serves by having key information on hate crime and how to report offences relayed via a innovative British Sign Language (BSL) video in partnership with a...
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Hear Hear! Photography competition winners named
Amateur and professional photographers alike, have been busy snapping their cameras around the county, for their chance to enter a unique photography competition. Launched in the East Anglian Daily Times, to coincide with Deaf Awareness Week, “Hear Suffolk” introduced...
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Girl learns to hug for first time
A seven-year-old girl with physical and learning disabilities has learned to hug her family for the first time, the BBC reports....
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Sign Language Social Club opens its doors
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is opening up its monthly ‘Sign Club’ to members of the public. Dog training co-ordinator for the charity, Sarah Allom, launched the club in its current format just over a year ago. Sarah explains:...
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Hearing care centre mingles with the stars!
What brings Annie Lennox, Mick Jagger and Amy Winehouse under one roof? Answer, the Hear the World Ambassadors photography exhibition by Phonak in cooperation with musician and photographer Bryan Adams, which is being sponsored by Suffolk’s only award winning...
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£50,000 competition launched to find disabled entrepreneur 2009
Disabled entrepreneurs from across the UK are invited to enter to win a £50,000 first prize as part of the search to find the winner of The Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs 2009. This major annual award, run by...
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Deaf man and dog to walk 146 miles for charity
85 year-old deaf man Antony Sabin and his hearing dog Branson are getting ready to walk 146 miles on a Shakespearean trail. The pair hope to raise £35,000 for charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People by walking from the Royal...
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Prominent deaf advocate dies aged 84
Marcella M. Meyer, a prominent advocate for the deaf who fought to expand civil rights in California and America, recently died aged 84. She helped found the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness in 1969, which established social services and...
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Teacher wins top award
Melanie Potts, a 36 year-old teacher, has won a top teaching award for her work with deaf people. She won the North West’s Teacher of the Year 2009 award following her commitment to teaching sign language and is now...
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Cochlear implant teenager first deaf person to get Duke of Edinburgh award
19-year-old Ross Grant has made history by becoming the first deaf person to win the Duke of Edinburgh leadership award. Prince Phillip will present the award to him at St James’ Palace in London. Ross had a cochlear implant...
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Centre for the deaf marks 15 year anniversary
Walsall College’s Deaf Base has celebrated its 15th year this week. The award-winning centre for deaf and deaf-blind learners marked this special occasion with an evening looking at the scheme’s past and present. Deaf Base was formed to help deaf...
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The man bringing music to life for the deaf
This summer Paul Whittaker will be alongside The Sixteen, a choir celebrating its 30th year. However, what’s extraordinary about him is that he’s totally deaf. If anyone hard of hearing wants to see a concert in the UK, it will...
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Isle of Wright Job Centre Plus receives charter mark for deaf awareness
A Job Centre Plus in the Isle of Wright has achieved the Royal National Institute for the Deaf’s (RNID) ‘Louder than Words’ charter mark. The Job Centre has done this through a continued commitment to providing deaf and hard-of-hearing people...
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Eastwood youngsters help deaf children
Youngsters from Eastwood Rainbows have been raising money to help deaf children. The girls chose to raise money for the Deaf Association from a choice of 19 charities, as they’d recently all learned sign language....
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Deaf girl in final of top modelling contest
Sophie Flory, a deaf girl from Sussex, has reached the final of Miss Teen Queen UK. The 17 year old is profoundly deaf and combines sign-language and speech to communicate, with organisers at the competition having a signer on hand...
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Mohamed Al-Fayed helps deaf star to Olympics
Mohamed Al-Fayed has given £10,000 to a world champion deaf footballer, who faced having his dreams shattered by a change in government sports funding. Ben Lampert played for the Great Britain deaf football team that won gold at the...
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Chloe wins a place at Deaf Olympics
A police inspector who spent 24 hours in a prison cell to raise cash for his 18-year-old footballing daughter is celebrating after she finally won a place in the team. Graham Lockey and his daughter Chloe were disappointed when...
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Gift of hearing for toddler who beat death four times
Meningitis survivor Arthur Russell is finally enjoying a normal life after being on the brink of death four times. Arthur became the youngest person in Scotland to be given cochlear implants when he was ten months-old. Now 23 months-old, Arthur...
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Doncaster Deaf School's insight into construction work
Students at Doncaster Deaf School have had an insight into the world of construction work from deaf employees at a housing organisation. St Leger Homes' staff visited the school to discuss careers in the construction industry and used sign...
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New booklet for professionals working with deaf children with eye problems
Forty percent of children who are born deaf also have eye problems, so a new set of guidelines has been produced to help professionals who work in vision and hearing, to ensure that deaf children receive good vision care....
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Deaf racer defies odds
Kris Martin, 22, a cochlear implant recipient, has fulfilled his dream of driving a racing car. "If I can't hear, I can't race," Martin had said, as safety is number one at the track and that only comes through...
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Coronation Street deaf star Ali Briggs set for return
Deaf actress Ali Briggs is returning to Corrie, the Mirror has reported. The ITV1 soap won a top disability award for portraying her character in 2005, and producers are hoping for more plaudits when she returns. Ali first starred...
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Nucleus Freedom information evening
Cochlear held a Nucleus Freedom information evening last night at the Birmingham NEC's Crowne Plaza. Cochlear implant candidates, those about to start their implant journey and their parents came to learn more about the system and how it can...
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Is the NHS listening to deaf people?
Dealing with hearing loss is hard enough for Coll Metcalfe, but the one place she thought she would be treated fairly was in hospital. But the special needs school clerk tells in the Daily Mail today, that she found...
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School for auditory impaired boosted by new technology
Jordanstown School for the Auditory and Visually Impaired in Belfast has been able to purchase a new FM radio system to be used by all of the school’s pupils who are deaf. This latest technology cost £14,000 and was...
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Have you heard 'the hum'?
Hundreds of people worldwide say they have been plagued by a buzzing noise known as 'the hum' which featured in an episode of The X-Files, sparking a string of conspiracy theories. Some believe the noise comes from gas pipes,...
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Sign Now and ScotRail join forces to assist deaf community
ScotRail has commissioned Sign Now to create video clips in British Sign Language (BSL) for its website. The clips are designed to inform the deaf community about ScotRail’s policies on disability and its approach to promoting equality of access...
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Better communication for deaf people at London hospitals
People who are hearing impaired will now find communicating with staff at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals easier. The Disability Information Centre Epsom (DICE), a service based at Epsom Hospital, has bought three portable hearing loops for patients to...
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Noise Action Week
Next week is Noise Action Week (18 - 22 May), an annual initiative coordinated by Environmental Protection UK (formerly NSCA), that aims to raise awareness of the noises you are exposed to at work, at home and when out...
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Top award for deaf teenager
A profoundly deaf teenager has received an award at the House of Commons for her ideas about hearing research. Helen Thomas, from Plymouth, scooped a top prize in the 'It's My Future' competition organised by Deafness Research UK....
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Waterstone's heralds My Brother John deaf awareness event great success
YESTERDAY's Waterstone’s event at the Trafford Centre in Manchester was a landmark event for My Brother John and coincided with the end of Deaf Awareness Week. The hour-long event was a great success, with author Joanne Zellweger reading the...
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Marlee Matlin receives Walk of Fame Star
Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, who has been deaf since she was 18 months old, wiped away tears as her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled. Marlee Matlin received the 2,383rd star on Hollywood Boulevard and Vine...
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Suffolk businesses neglect people with hearing loss
Businesses in Suffolk are being asked to improve their communication with people who are hearing impaired, as part of this week's Deaf Awareness Week. The Hearing Care Centre in Ipswich is urging high street shops and service providers to...
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Deaf dog gets new leash of life
Lonely, deaf dog Snowball is being taught sign language to encourage someone to give her a home. The white Jack Russell-Collie cross was trapped in a world of her own when she was born at an animal shelter, but staff...
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Nucleus Freedom information evening, 21 May
Cochlear is holding its next Nucleus Freedom information evening on Thursday 21 May at Crowne Plaza, Birmingham NEC. Cochlear is inviting CI candidates and those about to start their implant journey and/or their parents to the evening, to learn...
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Maddison's world of sound
A little girl who was born profoundly deaf has been given the gift of hearing courtesy of a cochlear implant. Four-year-old Maddison Magee's world was transformed from a wall of silence into an explosion of sound after she underwent cochlear...
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Swine Flu advice in BSL
Sign Now has created a British Sign Language video clip to help inform the Deaf community of the current status of the potential pandemic. See the video at Sign Tube....
It's Deaf Awareness Week!
This week is Deaf Awareness Week, when organisations working with deaf people across the country are inviting everyone to 'Look At Me'! The theme aims to improve understanding of the different types of deafness by highlighting the many different...
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Gerard Featherstone to read My Brother John at Waterstone's in Manchester
Joanne Zellweger and Gerard Featherstone will be reading and signing copies of their fantastic book ‘My Brother John’ on Sunday May 10th, from 2-3pm at Waterstone’s, The Trafford Centre, Manchester. 'My Brother John' tells the story of a little...
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BBC TV presenter announced as competition judge
The 'Hear Suffolk' competition was launched last week in the East Anglian Daily Times and has today revealed its full judging panel line-up. The competition, created by The Hearing Care Centre is designed to have keen photographers capture the...
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15 year-old boy to meet MPs after winning prestigious deaf competition
A deaf teenager from Derbyshire is to give a presentation to MPs after he wrote a piece on how more could be done to help deaf and hard of hearing people....
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DIARY DATE: Cochlear Europe's 2009 celebrations
Cochlear Europe is delighted to announce its second celebrations event, to be held on Saturday 3rd October, at the Heart of England Centre, Birmingham. The event will be the largest gathering of Cochlear Europe Implant recipients in the UK....
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Street star kicks off for the deaf
Coronation Street star Bill Tarmey has told the Manchester Evening News how his singing career cost him his hearing. Now Bill, 68, who made his living as a nightclub crooner before switching to acting, is never without his hearing...
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Tour de France jersey is sold for £1,240
The 2008 Tour de France yellow jersey, worn and singed by the winner, Carlos Sastre, was sold on Saturday for £1,240. The auction, held through Ebay, attracted 43 bidders. All proceeds will fund a multi-sports day for deaf children...
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Bionic eye success in sight
Bionic Vision Australia, based in Melbourne, has brought together the biomedical engineers and researchers who were involved in the development of the cochlear implant, to trial the ‘bionic eye’. The eye could be just two years away after a...
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Toddler will be given the gift of hearing
A profoundly deaf toddler will be given the gift of hearing when she undergoes a cochlear implant operation, the Andover Advertiser reported yesterday. One year-old Rosannah Harris, of Basingstoke will undergo the operation after NHS bosses gave the green...
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Sign Now re-launches website in time for Deaf Awareness Week
Sign Now’s continued expansion sees the company move to larger offices within the Grangemouth Enterprise Centre. The move also coincides with the launch of the On-Line BSL Interpreting Agency....
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Runner’s deaf aid
A teacher is running the London marathon to raise awareness of the issues faced by deaf children. Sarah Gallagher, from Shortlands, has been training hard for the 26.2 mile race on Sunday, April 26. The 27-year-old tutor at City...
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Petplan donates £10,000 to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
To support Hearing Dogs for Deaf People's invaluable work, The Petplan Charitable Trust (PPCT), is donating £10,000 to help those with hearing impairments lead a more independent and confident life. The donation will enable two dogs to be rescued,...
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New hearing loss awareness photography competition launched
A major new photographic competition has been launched by one of Suffolk’s best-known small businesses to raise awareness of the effects of hearing loss. Award-winning hearing care company, The Hearing Care Centre, based in Ipswich, is inviting amateur photographers...
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Sign Now director makes IoS Happy List
Fed up with lists that celebrate the rich? The Independent on Sunday published a ‘Happy List’ this weekend - encompassing the top 100 people who who make Britain a better and happier place to live....
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Families battle to save Bradford Family Centre
Parents fighting the closure of a family centre in Bradford which gives deaf children a chance of making it in mainstream schools have told of the impact the charity has had on their children. The Elizabeth Foundation will shut...
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Deaf teenager encourages others to follow their dreams
A teenager is indulging her love of animals and wants to inspire other deaf youngsters to follow their dreams. Elinor Scott, 17, of Newport, Wales, is the only deaf student at Coleg Gwent College's Usk campus. She helped organise...
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Tour de France jersey auction in aid of deaf children is now live!
The auction of the 2008 Tour de France yellow jersey, worn and singed by the winner, Carlos Sastre, went live at midday today. All proceeds from the auction will fund a multi-sports day for deaf children and young deaf...
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Tiny Tiger is a real hero
A tiny Chihuahua that acts as a hearing dog for his severely deaf owner in Merthyr Tydfil has been named Hearing Dog of the Month for April by the Charity that trained him. The little hero, ironically called Tiger,...
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Deaf boy hears greeting
A boy born profoundly deaf heard his name called out by more than 45,000 fans at Sunderland football club’s Stadium of Light as part of a birthday treat on Saturday. Thomas Ferry, eight, was born deaf and with cerebral...
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Deaf boy's musical success
Learning to read music and play the piano by the age of five would be quite an achievement for most people – but Kieran Ross was born deaf. The 18-year-old, from Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire, now writes music, performs with his...
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Mr Tumble's still number one with kids!
After talking to friends with children, it appears that most pre-schoolers are mad about signing presenter Mr Tumble! Mr Tumble, AKA Justin Fletcher, uses the signing system Makaton in his programme Something Special. Especially developed for children and adults...
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New roadside telephone assistance for text users
Action for Deafness reports that over 6,500 of the Emergency Roadside Telephones (ERTs) on the motorway are being replaced, to provide a more accessible service to motorists....
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Twenty years of The Ear Foundation
March 2009 saw the anniversary of twenty years of The Ear Foundation, the Nottingham-based charity. In March 1989 The Ear Foundation funded the first paediatric cochlear implantation in the UK, bringing this technology which transforms the opportunities for the...
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All about Baha - your questions answered
We hear sound naturally in two ways: air conduction and bone conduction. Air conduction hearing devices use amplified air to send sound waves from the outer ear, via the ear canal to the inner ear. Bone conduction devices send...
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Beyond Boundaries - Where are they now?
The second part of Beyond Boundaries, Where are they now? was shown last night on BBC2. In this programme, ex-SAS Major and Expedition Leader Ken Hames caught up with the physically disabled team members from the second and third...
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Dogs for the Deaf announces dogs for children with autism
Yesterday (April 2nd), was International Autism Awareness Day, and April is International Autism Awareness Month. Dogs for the Deaf, the oldest and largest Hearing Dog program in the U.S., has expanded its program to include Autism Assistance Dogs for...
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See Hear!
Those of you who watch the BBC's See Hear programmes may have seen its recent celebration of the 20th anniversary of the UK's first multi-channel cochlear implant. The first cochlear implant was given to a toddler deafened by meningitis,...
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Cochlear implant gives hope to Isobel
Isobel Water was just seven months old when she was struck by life-threatening meningitis. Although she survived, it left her deaf in both ears....
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Hair cells could restore hearing to the deaf
Researchers have created the complex hair cells and the neurons needed for hearing from human stem cells - The Telegraph reports. They found they could encourage stem cells from the inner ears of human foetuses to grow into these...
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A picture of Helen Keller
Photographs of Helen Keller, the world-renowned advocate for the deaf and the blind who was both deaf and blind herself, are not hard to come by. She died just 41 years ago in 1968, aged 87. However, a photo...
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Grammar pilot helping deaf people
A new approach to teaching English-language reading and writing skills to deaf people is delivering "immensely promising" results, a charity has said. Deaf Connections, is the first organisation in Europe to pilot Manipulative Visual Language (MVL)....
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'Knowing' sign language
The new Nicolas Cage film Knowing opened in UK cinemas this week, and features a hearing impaired character called Caleb – played by Chandler Canterbury. ‘You, me, together forever,’ was signed three times between Caleb and his father, Professor...
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Various Voices '09 to offer BSL-interpreted events
Tickets have now gone on sale for Various Voices 2009, Europe’s largest ever celebration of lesbian and gay choirs and singers, with many events being British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted. The festival takes place at London’s Southbank Centre over...
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Deaf mum on power list
A deaf mum has been named on the first ever Muslim Women Power List. Sabina Iqbal, founder and chair of Deaf Parenting UK, is one of just 13 women chosen by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The...
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Gerard Featherstone's literary journey
Gerard Featherstone's wonderful story was featured in The Times yesterday, where it was revealed that the family embraced their son's deafness, by turning their experience into a children's book. Two days after John was born, his mother Joanne Zellweger...
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Beyond Boundaries: Where are they now?
Remember Beyond Boundaries? The BBC2 programme ran for three series between 2005 and 2008, and involved physically disabled young people crossing Nicaragua, Africa and the Andes, respectively....
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Design a poster to help deaf people
The National Deaf Children’s Society Cymru is calling on deaf children and young people to take part in a fun poster campaign....
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Violet is a boy's best friend
When Jason Warman's mum was told he would never hear a single word she said to him, she was devastated. In the first months of Jason's life, mum Michelle Bell had suspicions something was not right with his hearing....
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Vote for first deaf winner of Teen Queen UK
A profoundly deaf girl from Baguley, Wythenshawe, is through to the semi-finals of the Teen Queen UK contest 2009. 15-year old Abigail Britton is representing Manchester in the competition, and needs your votes to get through to the final...
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Job Centre Plus proves that actions speak louder than words
Job Centre Plus Surrey and Sussex, and Job Centre Plus Hampshire and Isle of Wight have proven their commitment to providing deaf and hard of hearing people greater accessibility to work and all their services, by achieving the 'Louder...
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Parents offer support to deaf children in Grantham, Lincs
The parents of a deaf child have set up a new society to help other children and parents in a similar situation. Matt and Kim Sherwood of Grantham, Lincolnshire, moved to the town a year ago with their five-year-old son...
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Lunch boosts appeal
A ladies luncheon has raised funds for the Listening for Life Appeal to build a Cochlear Implant Centre at Bradford Royal Infirmary....
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Poppy gains national recognition
A former rescue dog that now works as a hearing dog for her severely deaf owner in Grimsby in Humberside has been named Hearing Dog of the Month by the charity that trained her in recognition of her caring...
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Hidden Hearing's spectacle hearing aids
I saw an advert yesterday for Hidden Hearing, a company offering spectacle hearing aids. These combine digital hearing aids built into the sides (arms) of spectacles - meaning people can wear just a single vision and hearing system. The...
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The Ear Foundation's family weekend at Center Parcs
The Ear Foundation is continuing its 20th birthday celebrations this month, with a family education weekend at Center Parcs in Nottingham. The event, supported by Cochlear Europe, will take place from 27-29 March and will include an 'X Factor'...
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Plea to ITV on behalf of the deaf
As ITV cuts back on its signed evening news bulletins, Ann Jones, chair of the Assembly’s Equality of Opportunity Committee, calls on broadcasters not to forget deaf people. ITV last month decided to cut its signed evening news bulletins in...
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Run 5K for Vision5KUK!
The DeafBlog has been contacted by Vision 5K UK - a fantastic series of unique blindfold challenges taking place across the country for people of all ages and abilities. If you'd like to accept the challenge, join them in...
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Meningitis victim George defies the odds
Meningitis victim George Patterson is defying expectations with his progress, having had cochlear implants fitted recently. George was left deaf and unable to control his limbs after he was struck down by meningitis last year, and is now able...
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The BBC interviews Louis Kissaun
Louis Kissaun's debut on the award-winning drama series Shameless, caused a stir on Tuesday. Partly because the teenage actor, playing Danny, arrived on our television screens stuffed in the boot of another character's car. But then that's quite usual...
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Sign Tube launches competition to raise money for Comic Relief
Sign Tube has launched a video competition to raise funds for Comic Relief. The best video of fundraising activities from the deaf community will win a first prize of £100, second prize of £50 and third prize of £25. Sign...
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Lord Mayor of Birmingham presents scholarship certificate to Cochlear Graeme Clark Award winner Amanprit
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Chauhdry Rashid, last night (Tuesday 10 March) presented Amanprit Johal, winner of the Cochlear Graeme Clark Scholarship Award with her certificate, at a ceremony held at Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens. The Cochlear-sponsored scholarship is...
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Noisy workplaces can make workers deaf
According to a new study from the Université de Montral, extra workplace decibels increase the risks of both work-related accidents and road collisions. The findings will be reported in three journals: Occupation Environmental Medicine, Accident Analysis and Prevention and Traffic...
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Cochlear Implantation: Time for Change?
A conference regarding the developments and future for cochlear implants will be held this Friday (13 March) at the National College for School Leadership in Nottingham....
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One to watch: Hear and Now - More4
True Stories: Hear and Now - More4, tonight, 10pm Filmmaker Irene Taylor Brodsky’s film follows her parents, Paul and Sally Taylor - both of whom have been totally deaf for all of their 65 years, as they are fitted...
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Hearing dog Gem is 'Friend for Life'
Gem, the Labrador cross that acts as the ears for severely deaf Evie Crook from Derbyshire, is a finalist in the annual Kennel Club 'Friends for Life' competition which will be held at Crufts this month. Seven-year-old Evie is one...
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Dundee makes all the difference
A Weymouth man in his 70s has found that a little West Highland terrier has transformed his life by alerting him to the household sounds he can no longer hear. Derek Williams of Charlestown explains: “I started to lose...
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Cochlear implant surgery safe for the elderly
A study by NYU Langone Medical Center researchers shows that healthy elderly patients with severe to profound hearing loss can undergo surgery to receive cochlear implants with minimal risk....
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Tour de France winner auctions yellow jersey for deaf kids
The NDCS will be holding an auction of a 2008 Tour de France yellow jersey, worn and signed by the winner, Carlos Sastre. The 10-day-long auction has been sponsored by Wiggle, an online cycle shop, and will start on...
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Book programme for deaf children
Deaf and hard-of-hearing children in South Lanarkshire have been given special books to help them improve their reading and literacy skills. It is part of the Bookstart programme, a national initiative aimed at encouraging parents and carers to read...
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New deaf actor joins TV show Shameless
The Guardian has today published the interview of Louis Kissaun, a 16-year-old deaf actor, who has joined the cast of Channel 4 show Shameless. Kissaun plays a 15 year-old called Danny, who is deaf and doesn't speak. His parents brought...
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Hear Talk and Walk – The Ear Foundation celebrates 20th birthday with walks round the country!
Nottingham-based charity The Ear Foundation, which began cochlear implants for deaf children in the UK in 1989, celebrates its 20 birthday with a series of walks round the country. Several hundred deaf children, young people and adults will Hear,...
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What's that dear?
A third of under-55s who took part in a recent online survey admitted having to pretend they have understood what someone has said when they weren't sure, with 38 per cent reporting that other people often have to repeat...
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Charity raising money for Listening for Life centre
A Bradford charity is urging people to run and help it raise funds for the state-of-the-art Listening for Life centre. The Ear Trust’s Listening for Life Appeal, supported by Bradford's Telegraph & Argus, still needs to raise £394,000 to complete...
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The DeafBlog on Twitter
We recently activated a Twitter account for the DeafBlog and have noticed that there are quite a few deaf people, sites, organisations and charities already on there....
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Deaf footballers triumph
Luton Deaf Boys had reason to celebrate after claiming victory in the Deaf Friendly Football Club National Youth Football Tournament. At the Powerleague Derby Soccerdome, Luton joined 24 other teams for the event that was organised by the National...
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BSL songs on YouTube
Anyone learning BSL or ASL might be interested to know that there's a host of songs in sign language on YouTube from artists like Britney Spears, Take That, Backstreet Boys and The Beatles. If you've made any of your...
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Training sessions will help police communicate with deaf people
Police officers in East Lancashire are being given deaf awareness training to be able to communicate better with the deaf community. Sixteen officers will attend the event tomorrow. The training will be delivered by Deafinitely Able Consultancy Ltd and...
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NDCS wants your views on the children's workforce
The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) has prepared a draft response to a Government consultation on the Children and Young People's Workforce Strategy, and wants to know what you think! The draft response calls on the Department for Children,...
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Deaf youngsters triumph in national football cup
The father of two deaf boys who helped their football team to a national title has told how the sport has been a huge boost to their confidence....
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The Ear Foundation celebrates its 20th birthday with a party
Nottingham-based charity, The Ear Foundation, celebrates its 20 birthday with a party on Sunday 1 March, 2009. The first multi-channel implants for children in the UK were funded by The Ear Foundation and carried out in Nottingham in 1989,...
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Why a dog is a deaf girl's new best friend
Deaf seven-year-old Evie Crook has a new best friend - a specially trained hearing dog. Evie is the youngest person to date to get an assistance dog and her confidence is starting to skyrocket. Since getting Gem she is...
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Everything you need to know about cochlear implants
Choosing a cochlear implant involves a bit of research and may raise some questions. Here is the second part of our list of questions and answers most commonly asked by cochlear implant candidates. Find part one here. Will I...
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Rebellious youths risk going deaf
Parents who nag their children to turn down the volume on their MP3 players could spark a hearing loss time bomb, experts warn. Teenagers are more likely to turn up the volume when repeatedly urged to reduce the noise...
Deaf children to benefit from storytelling website
Deaf children across the country are set to benefit from a multi-million pound venture masterminded in the North East. Signed Stories is a new web-based programme that is being launched today with backing from internationally-renowned authors....
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Deaf children can create their own sign language
Deaf children can develop their own language-like gesture systems that expand in the same way that verbal skills grow in other children as they mature, reports Deaf Times. That's the finding from a University of Chicago researcher who has...
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Snake charmers’ musical protest falls on deaf ears
Nearly 1,000 Indian snake charmers marched through the streets playing their flutes to demand the right to perform with live snakes. Such acts have been banned in India since 1991 but they remain common in tourist areas and villages....
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Alison's bionic snowman
Alison Patuck, who told her cochlear implant story to the DeafBlog last year, missed out on sledging during the recent snowfall... She was too busy building a bionic snowman! Sadly he's since melted away, but not before she took...
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Stephanie volunteers to be 'deaf for a day'
For hearing people, it can be difficult to comprehend just what it’s like not being in tune to the sounds around you. In order to illustrate some of the problems suffered by those with hearing impairment, Stephanie Campbell volunteered...
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First deaf Miss Universe hopeful is in Birmingham heat
When contestants for Miss Universe Great Britain line up on stage in Birmingham in the spring, history will be made. Among them will be 22-year-old Siobhan Brindley-Lewis, the Birmingham Mail reported this weekend. What will make her stand out...
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Charity unlocks jobs in a struggling market
With the economic downturn in full flow, disabled people are struggling more than ever to compete in a floundering job market. More than half of disabled people of working age do not have a job. Leonard Cheshire Disability is launching...
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FAQs about cochlear implants
Choosing a cochlear implant involves a bit of research and may raise some questions. Here's a list of the questions and answers most commonly asked by cochlear implant candidates. What is a cochlear implant? A cochlear implant is an...
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Would you like to be on CBBC?
The DeafBlog has been contacted by CBBC who are looking for a bright new star aged 7-11 from the deaf community....
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Deaf mum from Halliwell ‘couldn’t hear smoke alarms’
A young mum’s worst nightmare almost came true when a fire broke out in her home, the Bolton News has reported. Becky Doughty has had impaired hearing since birth and often worried about not being able to hear the smoke...
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Deaf player's plea for Olympic chance
A talented deaf footballer is appealing for help to keep his Olympic dream alive. Paul Mills is the only player from Greater Manchester to be chosen for the Great Britain Deaf Football Squad for this summer’s games in Taiwan....
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It's National Tinnitus Week!
This week, from 9-15 February 2009 is National Tinnitus Week. So what is Tinnitus? It's the sensation of a sound in the ear or head not produced by an external source. It can consist of one or more noises,...
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What to buy this Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and you may be scratching your head wondering what to buy your significant other. Here are just a few thoughts for romantic and unusual gifts for that special someone in your life if...
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News bite!
First-ever concert for the deaf to be staged in Toronto....
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ITV Wales drops signing for deaf
ITV Wales has been criticised by deaf people and politicians for dropping sign language bulletins from its flagship news programme. The Wales Deaf Broadcasting Council (WDBC) said the deaf community was not consulted and it was a "severe blow". The...
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Antibiotics blamed for child deafness
One child a week is being made deaf by treatment with antibiotics and many more may suffer damage to their hearing, doctors report today. The serious side-effect occurs among children with a pre-existing sensitivity to powerful antibiotics widely used...
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Rescue hearing dog Cinders is named top dog for February
A former rescue dog that now works as a hearing dog for her profoundly deaf owner in Ellon in Aberdeenshire has been named Hearing Dog of the Month by the charity that trained her. Like the pantomime character after...
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News bite!
The RNID has been picked by the Co-operative Group as its 2009 charity of the year....
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Magnets stop the nightmare of tinnitus, researchers say
Brain stimulation is being used to ease symptoms of tinnitus, claim reports out today. A study has found that all patients given the treatment experienced some improvement; a year afterwards, some patients were still tinnitus-free in one or both...
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Listen up...
The Daily Mirror has featured a hearing special in its health section to inform readers of the tell-tale signs of a hearing problem and warn of the dangers of prolonged exposure to loud music. The article explained that noise...
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Deaf puppy Snowy learns sign language
A deaf puppy has learned to communicate with her master using sign language, the Telegraph reports. Snowy, a small pure-white Jack Russell terrier, was handed in to an animal charity because her owners couldn't cope with having a deaf...
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Assistive listening devices for active lifestyles
The DeafBlog has just discovered a company that provides products aimed at helping people of all ages who experience hearing difficulty. Conversor Limited offers a line of assistive listening devices designed for easy use with cochlear implants, telecoil-equipped hearing...
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BREAKING NEWS! NICE recommends cochlear implants in new guidance published today
The final NICE guidance regarding cochlear implants has been published today. For those people with severe or profound deafness who do not receive adequate benefit from acoustic hearing aids, NICE has recommended: • Unilateral cochlear implantation as an option for...
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Take part in new research on BSL and deaf identities
The DeafBlog was approached by Catherine Morris this week, a PhD student from Middlesex University who is researching deaf identities and the role of British Sign Language (BSL). Catherine has developed an online questionnaire and is looking for deaf/hard...
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Parky backs bid to support deaf kids
Talk-show king Sir Michael Parkinson is calling on grandparents of deaf children in England to get actively involved in an innovative project set to give them much-needed support and encouragement to form a strong bond with the deaf child...
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BREAKING NEWS! UK public want hearing screening on NHS
More than 90 percent of the general public believe those over 55 should be offered free hearing tests on the NHS, according to a new RNID survey published today. The survey, commissioned by RNID, which has been adopted as The...
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Rescue dog Sidney is hearing dog of the month!
A former stray dog that has been trained to alert his deaf owner to sounds in the home has been given the accolade of being named Hearing Dog of the Month by the charity that trained him. Tiny Jack...
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New newspaper for people with hearing loss
A new topical newspaper for deaf and hard of hearing people and their friends and families has launched. Hearing Times® has been designed to provide news, information and advice to people with hearing loss and provide a communication forum...
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Be safe and sound from fire
Many fires in the home happen during the night, so what happens if you’re deaf or hard of hearing and you’ve taken out your hearing aids to go to sleep, or turned off/removed the processor of your cochlear implant?...
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Competition encourages young deaf people’s ideas on future research
The leading charity Deafness Research UK has announced a national competition for young deaf people to put forward their ideas about where research into deafness should head over the next 20 years. Organised in association with the Deafness Cognition...
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Listening to your iPod can expose you to deadly bacteria
Listening to your iPod could give you earache, scientists have warned. The Daily Mail reports that people who regularly enjoy music through headphones have thousands of times more bacteria in their ears than others. Although the bugs are usually...
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Deaf pupils hit musical note
Deaf pupils have been getting creative for the new year with a series of workshops. Young students from Blanche Nevile School in Muswell Hill, north London, took a trip to the Southbank Centre last week for music and poetry classes....
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Deaf players on the ball
Deaf children put their footballing skills to the test during a groundbreaking event, hosted by Sunderland AFC Foundation and The National Deaf Children’s Society. More than 20 deaf children from Wearside took part in the first Deaf Friendly Football...
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Cochlear's invitation to Nucleus Freedom information evening
Cochlear Europe is inviting CI candidates and/or their parents to an information evening next month, to learn more about its innovative Nucleus Freedom cochlear implant system and how it can open up a new world of sound for recipients....
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Cochlear implant for Georgia
She was born profoundly deaf, but now Georgia Green can hear clearly, thanks to two cochlear implants. The five-year-old, from Rawdon in Leeds, was unable to hear until she had her first implant just after her second birthday at...
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New experiment proves that babies with CIs will develop as well as hearing children
New experiments carried out by Australian researchers back up existing evidence that brain activity in deaf children develops normally if they are fitted with a cochlear implant at a young age. With a view to finding out how a...
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Deaf children benefit from theatre workshop
The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) is inviting deaf children aged 6 to 16 from across London to a Sleeping Beauty show at Unicorn Theatre on 17 January at 11.00am. The children only event features a pre-show theatre workshop...
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Deaf Katie wins place in national trampolining squad
Katie Tamin, a nine year-old from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, has defied her age and her disability to win herself a place in the national trampolining squad. Katie is profoundly deaf, but this hasn't stopped her winning a place in the sensory...
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Movie maker teams up with NDCS
The group behind the unique film project ’Dummy Jim’, have formed a partnership with the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS). The team, who are raising funds to make a film about a deaf explorer, will be donating two percent...
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Deaf girl wins after sports day trauma
A deaf teenager, who was humiliated on sports day because she could not hear announcements telling her to stop running, has won a landmark discrimination case. Laura Trudgill's school failed to provide a signer to help her take in...
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New celebrity ambassadors revealed for 'Hear the World' campaign
Mischa Barton, Billy Idol and Maggie Gyllenhaal are the latest celebrities to be photographed by musician Bryan Adams for the Hear the World campaign, an initiative set up to raise awareness about the issue of hearing loss. As official...
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Andrew Thompson wins £50k award for disabled entrepreneurs
Andrew Thomson has won the Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs 2008, run by charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, at the Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Ceremony in London. Andrew, 44, from Grangemouth in Scotland is a director of Sign-now.com, a...
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90 year-old deaf woman runs after thief
A 90-year-old deaf and partially-sighted woman chased after a robber who attacked her in a supermarket car park in Greater Manchester. The man jumped on the woman's back, spun her round and grabbed her bag in the Asda car park...
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Golfers warned teeing off could make you deaf
Keen golfers are being warned by doctors that they could be risking their hearing for the sport. The BBC reports today that players who use a new generation of thin-faced titanium drivers to propel the ball further should consider...
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Happy New Year!
Happy New Year from everyone at the DeafBlog! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you enjoyed celebrating the end of 2008. As we begin a new year, we'd be interested in knowing what you considered...
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Deaf Steph hits the road as a trucker
Steph Burns has achieved her lifelong ambition, to become a trucker. Deaf Steph, 25, sailed through her lorry test at the first attempt as the examiner used sign language and placards to give her instructions. Determined Steph feared she had...
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Deaf biker on round-the-world trip aims for record
A man has driven through more than 70 countries on his motorbike, hoping to set a record as the first deaf and mute person to travel around the world, and also to inspire disabled people like him. Vladimir Yarets, 67,...
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Vitamin pill could reverse hearing loss caused by loud noise
A pill is being developed that could reverse loss of hearing caused by loud noise, the Daily Mail reports today. Scientists have formulated a pill that could prevent or even reverse hearing loss caused by loud noise. Clinical trials...
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New video sharing site for the deaf community
While checking out some of the latest deaf resources on Deaf247, I came across Sign-tube. Much like You Tube, Sign-tube allows people to share news, information, events and fun with people across the world. But of course, this site...
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Assistive technology helps deaf people make telephone calls
TalkByText Home Edition, software developed by charity RNID, is set to revolutionise the way people communicate with friends and loved ones by providing real-time text conversation. The software was developed by the UK’s largest hearing health charity to overcome problems...
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Heard the one about the deaf comedian?
What defines a deaf stand-up comic - and what makes their audience laugh? The Guardian's Brian Logan discovers that there's more to deaf humour than first meets the eye. To carry out research for his special report, Logan headed...
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Deaf-focused social network launched
A new social network for the deaf community has gone live this week, acting as a platform to showcase deaf-focused content. MyDeafLife.com offers a social networking and commercial opportunity for the deaf community, as well as access to online learning...
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Sign the '09 Deaf Olympics petition
The Government has recently pulled all funding out from under GB Deaf Olympic Sport, in order to push more money towards 2012. This means that certain deaf athletes have spent the last three years preparing for the honour of...
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Services for deaf children in Kent
Specialist services for deaf children have declined generally in recent years, but Kent is showing what can be done with a small dedicated team. A recent report by the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) found that the division of social...
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New guide on cochlear implantation for deafblind children published
Sense has joined forces with The Ear Foundation to develop a publication, “Deafblindness and Cochlear Implantation”. A useful guide for both families and professionals, it is the first publication to focus on cochlear implantation (CI) solely for congenital deaf/blind...
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Deaf teens on stage at the Royal Albert Hall
Two deaf teenagers have joined the list of performers who have fulfilled a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grace the stage at a world famous concert venue, the Halifax Courier reports today. Sowerby Bridge High School pupils Jake Lamb, 13, of Halifax,...
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Deaf rats trained to hear sounds
Scientists have managed to train rats with hearing defects to pick out sounds from background noise, giving a possible solution to hearing-impaired children with difficulties in learning language. Distinguishing speech from background noise, or temporal processing, is important in...
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Wales working to improve access for the deaf
The South Wales Echo this week published the views of Councillor Judith Woodman, Deputy Leader of Cardiff council, who praised efforts made to improve access for deaf people in Wales. She wrote: 'Cardiff Castle has done much to improve...
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Deaf choir performs in Ipswich town centre
Popular Ipswich Deaf Choir has been performing in Ipswich town centre. The choir gave its unique rendition of a host of songs, including a selection of Christmas carols, by using sign language when it appeared at The Buttermarket Shopping Centre...
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One year on... the remarkable story of Lee Knight
Yesterday's Sunday Times focused on the incredible year of Lee Knight, a 37-year-old factory team leader who was poisoned by his wife Kate a year ago when she laced his curry with antifreeze and left him for dead. She...
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Dumfries & Galloway HoH Group introduces new classes
Scotland's Dumfries and Galloway Hard of Hearing Group is celebrating the launch of its new website and being awarded £4,500 for new drop-in clinics in the region. The group offers lip reading classes which can help make communication less stressful...
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Heroic tabby Libby makes 'top ten animal stories of the year!'
From the 13-stone dog who thought he was a cat, to a chimp raising two tiger cubs, 2008 has been a great year for cute animal stories. The Times documented its top ten this week, and the DeafBlog was...
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Olivia's singing for joy
Inspirational youngster Olivia Burton-Laws – who was born profoundly deaf – can hear and sing Christmas carols for the first time thanks to her cochlear implant. The three-year-old, of Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, starred as an angel in Knottingley Bright...
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Bagpuss' Oliver Postgate began with programmes for deaf children
Children's favourite Oliver Postgate, creator of The Clangers and Bagpuss has died at the age of 83. As the narrator to all of his films, Mr Postgate's voice is familiar to generations of British children. Although only 13 episodes...
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Half of all iPod users risk going deaf, warns RNID
More than half of people who listen to iPods or other MP3 players are risking permanent hearing loss because they are playing them so loudly. Spot checks on shoppers' MP3 players in eight cities found that 54 per cent...
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Hearing tests at Boots and Specsavers
Boots the chemist is one of the lastest high street chains to offer free hearing tests. The thorough, professional examinations, carried out by registered hearing aid dispensers, only take around 30 to 40 minutes, and there's no need to...
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The kiss of deaf - Chinese girl loses hearing after kiss ruptures her eardrum
A young woman from Zhuhai, southern China has partially lost her hearing after her boyfriend ruptured her eardrum during an excessively passionate kiss. In what has been dubbed the 'kiss of deaf', the 20-something woman went to hospital completely deaf...
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Deaf mum 'an inspiration'
A mum from Hemel Hempstead has become the first deaf woman to win a prestigious Woman of the Future award, the Hemel Today reported. Sabina Iqbal, 32, the founder of Deaf Parenting UK, took home the top gong in the...
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New DVD launched by the DANI
Stories about life for deaf people are covered in a new DVD launched by the Deaf Association of Northern Ireland (DANI]. The new resource, which is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, has been commissioned with the support...
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MRI machines may be dangerous for cochlear implants...
This is according to a study published in the December issue of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. (ANI) Allegedly people with cochlear implants* should avoid undergoing scans via magnetic imaging devices, such as 3T MRI machines, because scientists have...
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29 year-old, deaf since birth, will hear for the first time
A man who's been totally deaf since birth has had a cochlear implant (CI) at Crosshouse Hospital in Ayrshire. Mark Ramsay from Dalry, Scotland, has been told by doctors that the operation was a complete success, but he'll have to...
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Deaf dalmation given new lease of life through sign language
A deaf dalmatian which was trapped in a world of its own has been given a new lease of life after learning sign language. The spotted dog called Zoe was born profoundly deaf and had failed to bond with...
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Deaf man wins £50K business award
This year's Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs has been won by a man whose company provides video conferencing for deaf people - the BBC reports. Andrew Thomson, from Grangemouth in Central Scotland, has been profoundly deaf since birth. His company,...
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Music and the Deaf
One in seven of the population have some degree of hearing loss, yet many still enjoy music. "Music and the Deaf" was established 20 years ago by Dr Paul Whittaker OBE, who is himself profoundly deaf. The charity is...
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Gloria urges people to support RNID
Star broadcaster Gloria Hunniford is calling for people to support the RNID (The Royal National Institute for Deaf People) and help the charity to make daily life better for deaf and hard of hearing people. Gloria said, "by the...
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Light opens up a world of sound for the deaf
An interesting article about cochlear implants was published this week - in New Scientist! In the current issue of the magazine, reporter Rachel Nowark describes how infrared light can stimulate neurons in the inner ear as precisely as sound...
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Sighs of relief as Droitwich service for deaf is saved
A vital service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing has been saved, the Worcester News reports. Concerns were raised about the future of the audiology service in the town if funds were not found to sound-proof a room at the new...
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Sign language star makes pop videos for deaf people
It's definitely a 'sign of the times'! A wacky music lover has become a huge hit on the internet after using sign language to make pop videos for the deaf. Thousands of people have viewed Tyrone Whittle’s unique interpretations...
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Internet dating for deaf friends and singles
We recently discovered new dating site deafs.com which has been developed specifically to help deaf and hearing impaired men and women meet other singles. (We talked about that here). Since then we've come across another one called Enabled Already...
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Hearsavers at Matalan
Wandering in to Matalan in Oxford at the weekend, I noticed a 'Hearsavers' pod by the checkouts. Apparently Hearsavers has partnered with the clothing store for value and convenience and its test suite 'epod' offers free hearing tests to...
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Japanese pop star deaf in one ear
Hugely successful Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki has revealed she is deaf in her left ear, but vowed to go ahead with her tour of Asia earlier this year. The 29-year old celebrity wrote on her blog that her...
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Deaf Parenting UK wins TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Awards
Deaf Parenting UK, a unique charity run by deaf parents for deaf parents, has received a TalkTalk Innovation in the Community Award at a ceremony at the House of Lords. The TalkTalk Awards, run in partnership with UK digital...
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Deaf characters on our screens
Even though one in seven people in the UK have a hearing loss, for years there have hardly been any deaf people in mainstream television dramas and soaps. Recently, however, there have been a number of deaf characters on...
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Christmas miracle for Lucy
Like millions of children, Lucy Rees is looking forward to Christmas; but her experience will be extra special this year, as she’ll be able to hear for the first time. When Lucy was born prematurely on December 1 2007, doctors...
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Taliban battle is deafening soldiers
Hundreds of soldiers returning home from Afghanistan are suffering severe hearing damage caused by intense battlefield noise, it has been reported. Roadside bombs and close-combat clashes have caused problems ranging from tinnitus to total deafness, according to The Times....
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Celeb voices we love and hate to hear
Reality TV star Jade Goody has been named the celebrity with the worst sounding voice according to a poll. The Bermondsey lass's not so dulcet tones got her into hot water on Big Brother last year and now the...
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Cochlear Sounding Board
The Ear Foundation has developed a new website which provides information on all aspects of cochlear implants. Sounding Board is a service for busy professionals working to help young people with cochlear implants. The site enables visitors to ask questions,...
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Bond Girl Gemma Arterton went deaf
Bond Girl Gemma Arterton discovered what it would be like to be deaf, on the set of new flick Quantum of Solace. The actress, 22, claimed that part of her 007 venture left her deaf, dumb and blind, after...
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Baha transforms Victoria's life
It's hard to believe a device small enough to perch on the end of your finger could transform a young girl’s life forever, or so swiftly – but it has. Victoria Jones is a far more confident and happy...
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Deaf people feel silenced by telecoms
Deaf organisations have come together to launch a campaign to improve telecoms services for deaf people by demanding better services at affordable prices. TAG, an advocacy group which represents all the main UK deaf organisations, is taking its case...
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How cochlear implants are changing the landscape for deaf people
...that was the message in the Guardian's recent article about cochlear implants. Every year, about 800 children are born with different degrees of deafness in the UK; a much smaller number lose their hearing through other causes such as...
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Deaf centre celebrates anniversary
Oxford's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre is opening its doors to mark its 50th anniversary. Since it opened in December 1957, thousands of deaf and hard of hearing people have been helped by the charity, and this weekend, there...
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Text service for the deaf rolled out across the UK
As reported on BBC News yesterday, a service which has allowed deaf people in Hampshire to alert emergency services by text message is to be rolled out across more counties. Deaf and speech impaired people across Hampshire and the...
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Val Blakely launches 'I'm All Ears'
Here 2 Hear Publications has announced its release of I'm All Ears, a new book written for parents of children with special needs, especially hearing loss, and for those who teach them on their journey to say "I'm All...
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Laura meets MPs to demand better deal for deaf children
Laura Bolter from Bournemouth, who is currently featured in our guest column, has met with key decision makers at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference to speak out about the underachievement of deaf children at school. The deaf 16-year-old is backing...
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A NICE result on cochlear implants
NDCS, in collaboration with other charities, has achieved a milestone victory concerning cochlear implants in England and Wales. Cochlear implant funding for deaf children has for many families been a postcode lottery with some children offered one implant, some two...
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Surviving noisy Britain
An article in yesterday's Guardian explained how noise pollution can cause sleep disturbance, raised blood pressure and even lead to heart disease. Journalist Rebecca Hardy wrote that there's growing evidence of noise-related stress becoming a significant public health hazard....
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Advocate in UK raises awareness of Cochlear Implants
Finding an illustrated children's book with a character with a cochlear implant is not easy. "Not anymore" according to Gerard Featherstone, UK Cochlear Advocate. Gerard edited and his marketing company has published Joanne Zellweger’s new book 'My Brother John'...
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Eric Clapton is the latest celebrity to suffer hearing loss
The DeafBlog’s story about Phil Collins’ hearing loss has continued to spark interest since it was run a couple of years ago. The singer admitted that since becoming aware of a loss of hearing in his right ear, he...
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Internet dating for deaf singles
The DeafBlog has come across a new dating community which has been developed specifically to help deaf and hearing impaired men and women meet other singles, in a comfortable online environment. Deafs.com is the first and largest dating site in...
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