July 2006

The 94.7 Highveld Stereo and Bidvest Hear for Life Trust is moving swiftly along in its quest to assist with the funding of vital cochlear implants for the deaf. In the first six months of this year alone the trust facilitated cochlear implants for three deserving patients, totalling almost R400 000.

Pianist and music teacher, Merle Tait; 14-year-old Bongeka Thwala; and 22-year-old student Peter Tsamago have all benefitted from the life-changing procedure that, due to unavoidable costs, would normally have been out of their reach.

“All three of these patients had lost their hearing at some point. Seeing them get it back through this project is most rewarding,” said Terry Volkwyn, Primedia Broadcasting chief executive officer. “You not only change their lives but also the lives of all the people that surround them. Through these operations they are once again able to lead normal, active lives.”

JSE-listed Bidvest, an international services, trading and distribution company, has partnered with 94.7 Highveld Stereo in this worthy initiative. “Bidvest supports many deserving charities and causes through its corporate social investment programmes,” said Bidvest chief executive, Brian Joffe. “These projects focus primarily on the historically disadvantaged as well as on the sustainability of the economic upliftment and social progress in the communities in which we operate.”

The Hear For Life Trust was born out of 94.7 Highveld Stereo’s popular Christmas Wish feature. But by December 2005 critical funding was needed to bolster the trust’s coffers. It was at this point that Brian Joffe stepped in, pledging funding to the tune of R1-million a year over five years, on behalf of Bidvest. The money was assigned to provide cochlear implants for people from historically and financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

“The funds provided by Bidvest for the Hear for Life Trust will facilitate approximately six implants each year to deserving people,” explained Joffe. “Cochlear implants make a huge difference in recipients’ lives, enabling them to live normally and to learn and interact with their peers without the impediment of being unable to hear.”

Cochlear implants differ from hearing aids, which simply amplify sound, in that they actually compensate for damaged or non-working parts of the inner ear. In a fully functioning ear, sound waves are converted into electrical impulses, which are then sent to the brain where they are recognised as different sounds. A cochlear implant works in a similar manner, electronically searching for useful sounds and sending them to the brain. The implants are only used in patients with severe to profound hearing loss. In the case of the Hear for Life Trust, many of the recipients have acquired deafness i.e. they weren’t born deaf, but rather lost their hearing at some point through illnesses like meningitis.

The process is quite a lengthy one, beginning with the actual cochlear implant, which involves surgically inserting the small, electronic device into the inner ear. Approximately one month after the implant, the device is ‘switched on’ in a simple yet highly emotional procedure that allows the recipient to hear again, usually for the first time since losing their hearing. Thereafter a series of procedures called ‘mapping’ is undertaken, where the device is programmed and adjusted to suit the recipient’s needs and comfort levels.

Bongeka Thwala contracted meningitis in August 2005. This shy little girl’s life was turned upside down when two days after falling ill, she couldn’t hear anything at all. Nontuthuzelo Thwala, Bongeka’s caregiver and aunt, said it was very difficult for the youngster, as she didn’t understand what was going on. “She kept on asking why she couldn’t hear and when she was going to be able to hear again. It was just devastating when the doctor said that she wouldn’t hear again,” added Thwala.

After hearing aids made no difference, the family approached a local hospital for advice. Here they discovered that cochlear implants could help Bongeka to once again lead a normal life. But limited finances meant the Thwala family couldn’t afford the operation. After being refused assistance by their medical aid, the family was referred to the Hear for Life Trust. Here Bongeka received the vital funding she so desperately needed to have the implant. On 17 March 2006 Bongeka was operated on and by 5 April, she could hear again.

“When we were referred to Dr. Hockman, I saw a light at the end of this tunnel – I saw some hope,” said Nontuthuzelo Thwala. “After the device was switched on, I couldn’t believe my eyes, or my ears…because Bongeka was responding to the sounds. We were all so excited. Something had been brought to our family through this procedure and for that we are so grateful.”

Bongeka has gone back to school, and although there’s a backlog of work for her to get through, she’s making steady progress. “I sit in the front of the class,” she says nervously. “The noise from the other children is loud sometimes, but it’s OK.” And what does this timid Grade 7 pupil want to do when she grows up? “Engineering. But I don’t know what type.” Her eyes fill up with tears as she clearly realises in that moment that she now has a future. “Thank you so much,” she says to her sponsors, as she begins to cry uncontrollably.

For 22-year-old Peter Tsamago his hearing loss wasn’t as dramatic, but was just as traumatic. Peter sustained a head injury when he was involved in a car accident at the age of eight. Originally it was believed he suffered from left hemiplegia, where some of the functioning on the left-hand side of his body – including his hearing – was affected. Although doctors are now not sure that that was the cause of his hearing loss, over a 12-month period Peter eventually lost all hearing and was declared profoundly deaf.

“We started to notice he was going deaf, and so began the process of visiting hospitals and going backwards and forwards to various places trying to get answers,” explained loyal friend, Khali Collins, who has been with Peter throughout this roller-coaster ride of events. “But now we actually don’t know what caused his deafness. The doctors don’t think it was the car accident after all. The next step is to assess blood samples and see what comes up.”

But hearing loss didn’t stop this energetic teen from pursuing his dreams, and after matriculating from Northcliff High School in 2003, Peter landed a bursary to study a BCom in marketing and business information at Damelin. “He’s doing really well, despite not being able to hear a thing his lecturers say,” added Collins. “He lip reads a lot and occasionally we have to write things down for him, but otherwise he’s self-studied…and hasn’t failed a subject yet.”

On 15 June 2006 Dr. Maurice Hockman performed a cochlear implant on Peter at the Netcare Linksfield Clinic, which generously donated its time and services for the procedure. On 10 July 2006 Peter’s world changed as the cochlear implant was activated and he began hearing again. “It was amazing to watch as the audiologist switched the device on and Peter could hear again,” explained Collins. “It was wonderful and emotional at the same time. I just couldn’t stop crying.”

Peter himself is over-awed with his renewed ability to hear. “I remember Khali saying at the beginning of the year I would hear again, and she was right! Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he gushed afterwards.

Peter began hearing normal, everyday sounds immediately after the procedure and amazingly, just a week later, he was able to hear his voicemail messages on his cellphone. “We just can’t believe the difference, it’s just fantastic!” added Collins.

“We are very fortunate to have found a partner for the Hear for Life Trust in Bidvest. This partnership means that we are able to commit to six operations per year – a mammoth achievement,” added Volkwyn.

In addition to the vital funding provided by Bidvest, 94.7 Highveld Stereo has also been hard at work raising the necessary funds. “94.7 Highveld Stereo donated R 1-million to the fund last year and continues to raise money through Darren ‘Whackhead’ Simpson’s CD’s, the Rude Awakening’s RAW Cruise and many other listener-driven initiatives, which contribute a further R300 000 to the trust per year,” explained Volkwyn. “We are very grateful to Bidvest for giving so generously to a most wonderful cause. To give somebody the gift of hearing…and to watch their journey through this process brings tears to my eyes. One has to experience it to really understand the difference it makes. It truly is a miracle!”

It’s this funding – along with the effort and time being invested by trust sponsors 94.7 Highveld Stereo and Bidvest – together with the dedication of Dr. Hockman and his team that sees these little miracles being played out every two months, forever changing the lives of those involved.

The costs of a cochlear implant can be prohibitive, and the Hear for Life Trust has been set up to assist in this process. There are certain criteria that need to be met in order for a candidate to be considered for an implant, and for assistance from the Trust. For more information on this and the criteria click here.