Who's Who?: Brandy Harvey
Brandy joined Cochlear™ Americas as an Awareness Manager in October of 2006. Brandy recruits, develops and trains volunteers to help raise awareness about treatment options for hearing loss and the Cochlear and Baha® implants.
“Although I do not have hearing loss, my life has been deeply impacted by it. I have two children with bilateral Nucleus® cochlear implants. Dylan, age six, was diagnosed with hearing loss at birth and Megan, age seven, was diagnosed at 18-months-old. We found out about Dylan's hearing loss through a newborn hearing screening. This valuable law in the State of Florida not only helped us seek out help for Dylan, but lead us to find out about Megan's hearing loss.”
Brandy & her husband, Patrick, were shocked when initially finding out about their children’s' hearing loss. Neither has hearing loss in their families. "Of course, like any parent, we only wanted incredible opportunities for our children. When they are born, you want them to do everything better and make better decisions than you did. You look at their tiny faces and you see the world of possibilities. You would use your own experiences to guide them. Then, you realize that you are in unfamiliar territory. You gather information from people in that community, the professionals and other parents who have been in the same place. We ended up finding the most caring individuals and used the information to make an educated decision.”
Both children were fitted with hearing aids and attended Clarke Jacksonville Auditory-Oral School. After a few years of hearing aids, both children became candidates for a cochlear implant. Megan was able to develop some speech before receiving her first Nucleus® 24 implant at age three. Dylan did not develop speech until after receiving his Nucleus® 24 implant at age two. Both children received their second Nucleus® 24 implant within five months of their first. Since then, both children have upgraded to the Freedom™ processor and are mainstreamed in public school. They are both on target with their hearing peers and are very social. Megan is a cheerleader and a girl scout, while Dylan plays soccer. Megan’s favorite sound is the song and lyrics of "G.N.O., Girl's Night Out" by Hannah Montana. Dylan’s favorite sound is hearing his dog, Frosty, bark.
Brandy joined Cochlear Americas as an Awareness Manager in October of 2006. Brandy recruits, develops & trains volunteers to spread awareness about treatment options for hearing loss and the Cochlear and Baha implants. “Being an Awareness Manager has allowed me the opportunity to share our experience and knowledge with other families and professionals. We knew some day our children would ask how we came to our decision to implant them. I think if a parent has gathered all the information, looked at all the options, and made their decision based on facts, they will be able to explain their own personal choice for their family. Cochlear has given my children a choice and a voice. As an employee, I have the double blessing of seeing my children live out their dreams while working to help others see the potential with a cochlear implant.”
Better Hearing and Speech Month
“May is very important to me. I believe I have the most giving, passionate volunteers in the country. Volunteers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama have rallied to the "Raise Your Hand" campaign to create awareness for Better Hearing and Speech Month. Many are sharing their experiences during the ten workshops planned in Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Macon and Birmingham. Professionals will learn about the benefits of the cochlear and Baha implant directly from our own volunteers. Recipients will learn the amazing advantages of "Life in Stereo" at our bilateral workshops. Candidates can learn about both technologies and hear from recipients during our "When Hearing Aids Aren't Enough" seminars. Megan and Dylan will explain their own cochlear implants to their class while their local school offers hearing screenings for students.
Volunteers will participate in Deaf Nation, the AG Bell Georgia Chapter's Walk Talk Run for a lifetime event, present information at their places of employment, send out emails directing people to the Raise Your Hand website and tell their classmates about their experiences. May gives us an opportunity for a specific call to action. We can raise awareness about hearing loss and how life can improve with Cochlear and Baha implants. People need to know they have options. They can have their lives back, and engage in their families and communities again. They don't have to miss out on those precious moments with their loved ones. Also, many parents learn about their children's hearing loss and immediately begin to grieve. Cochlear gives hope to families, and has offered me the opportunity to give back and make a direct impact in the life of a child. Who wouldn't love that? Thank you Cochlear!”
