Who's Who: Kathy Allen

Meet Kathy Allen
Cochlear Advocate Coordinator

Years with first implant: 5.5 years
Second bilateral implant: 1 month!  

Kathy was born with a severe-to-profound hearing loss that went undiscovered until she went to school at age 5. After that, she was fitted with hearing aids and enrolled in extensive speech therapy, lip reading and auditory training.

Kathy never thought she was a good candidate for a cochlear implant.  To please her father, she agreed to go for an evaluation. When she went for the evaluation, she was stunned to find out she was a good candidate for a cochlear implant.

After extensive counseling to make sure Kathy had the right set of expectations, she received a Nucleus cochlear implant.  This decision has changed her life. Kathy says, “The implant gives me sound clarity, it has helped me enter a world of many surprising, remarkable sounds.”

Bilateral Recipient

Recently Kathy received her 2nd implant and is now a bilateral recipient!   She has the Nucleus Freedom in her newly implanted ear.   Kathy is very excited with the Freedom because she was able to hear AND understand 100% of common everyday sentences on the first day without lip-reading!    She feels like the part of her that has been missing since she got her first implant (hearing in her right ear) is now complete and loves the “stereo quality” of sound that bilateral implants provide. 
 
While the implant has certainly improved her life socially and professionally, Kathy remains active physically, playing softball, flag football, volleyball and golf. She recently ran the Disney Marathon and was thrilled to hear people calling out her name, cheering her on!  She looks forward to running the Chicago Marathon this fall with the water resistant Freedom BTE.

Consumer Advocate

Fluent in sign language and an active member of the Deaf community, Kathy works as a Consumer Advocate for Cochlear Americas where her role is to help raise awareness about Cochlear Implants and the Nucleus device.  She also provides information and support to individuals who are considering a cochlear implant.   Since getting her first implant five years ago, Kathy has always felt the need to “give something back and to share the wonders of sound with others".  She loves her job because she gets to “help make a difference and bring hope back into the lives of individuals isolated by hearing loss.”   Nothing is more rewarding than watching someone "re-emerge" from depresion or isolation, into the world of sound. No longer having to experience the isolation, or difficulties communicating, that once consumed their lives.

How to Contact Kathy:
Kathy Allen
Consumer Advocate Coordinator
Phone: (800) 523-5798 (V/TTY)
Email address: kallen@cochlear.com