Southampton鈥檚 Auditory Implant Service is today celebrating 25 years of helping deaf adults and children to hear.
Since it was established in 1990, the centre (formerly known as the South of England Cochlear Implant Centre) has implanted over 1000 cochlear implants – devices that help people to regain their hearing or allow them to hear for the first time.
On Saturday, 25 April聽current and former patients and their families will聽gather with staff based at the University of Southampton, to celebrate the life changing treatment and research.
Guests at the event include the very first patient to receive an implant and the youngest patient with an implant today – James Wooden, aged just 14 months old.
James received his first implant in his right ear last December and now has active implants in both ears. His parents were notified that their child was profoundly deaf just weeks after his birth.
鈥淭he first signs were picked up in a routine health visit and it was confirmed later when James was referred to a specialist for further testing,鈥� says Paula Wooden, James鈥� mother. 鈥淚鈥檇 heard about cochlear implants while I was pregnant, after they were featured in a story line on Hollyoaks, so I knew this was an option for James and understood what the doctors were talking about.”
Dr Carl Verschuur, who heads the centre said: 鈥淚t will be fantastic to celebrate the achievements of the centre together with the patients who have benefitted from cochlear implants over the past 25 years. We鈥檝e witnessed some inspiring stories in that time that drive us on as we continue to research and develop new technologies and treatments in the field.鈥�
Over 200 current and former patients have registered to attend the anniversary celebration, which will include a performance from a steel band, a children鈥檚 entertainer and speeches from staff and patients.