Suzie Maine

I was totally deafened from meningitis when I was 5 years old. I grew up happily communicating through lipreading and attended specialist schools for my education. When I left school I worked in pharmaceuticals for over 20 years. Here, I experienced discrimination like many of my deaf peers. It came to a head when I applied for promotion and was told that I couldn't get it because I would find it hard to cope with meetings due to the communication difficulties. It must be said that this happened before the DDA came into force.

I had explored the potential of getting a cochlear implant in the early 1980's and had been told that because my cochlea had become ossified I was not a suitable candidate for implantation. The 1990's was a time when cochlea implant technology underwent a radical change and an opportunity arose for me to receive one, as the first person to do so with an ossified cochlea. This was an offer I couldn't refuse, partly because of the frustration that I was experiencing in my career and partly because the thought of being able to hear my (then) young children for the first time was something that I emotionally felt extremely excited about.

After the implantation in 1997, I returned to work and the reaction of my colleagues was "Oh Hi Suzie, you're 'normal' now you have had a cochlear implant" I was shocked at the ignorance and found the experience unnerving, and my reaction was "Surely I am the same person, I just happen to have a hearing aid that actually works now?" This led me to move careers and I am now qualified as a teacher in Further and Higher Education, specialising in Deaf Awareness and Communication with deaf people. I have now been actively involved in deaf issues for the last 10 years and I work for CACDP in Durham, developing qualifications in communication with deaf and deafblind people who do not use BSL.

I live in Teesdale, with my husband of 22 years and 3 children. The family have a menagerie of pets including Lettie, my hearing dog. When not dealing with my work and supporting deaf people, I like to relax with gardening and walking in the Dales, though I am also partial to good food and good company!

Close Window