Tell us about yourself…
I’m nineteen years old, I’m moderately deaf, and am currently studying for a music degree at City University London. My passions in life are music, animals and nature, photography, chocolate (yum!), and campaigning for (and promoting) high self-esteem in young deaf people.
In what ways has being a deaf person changed the way you communicate and interact with the world?
Well, this is a tricky question to answer really. Although a large majority of my friends are hearing, since moving to London I have gained a number of deaf friends. Being around other deaf people has definitely increased my confidence and I’m beginning to sign more – something I was previously very shy about doing. I am a great believer in total communication – communicating using a mixture of speech, sign, writing, and anything else that may help a person. I’m definitely most comfortable in situations where total communication is used.
What is it like studying music at University? What support do you get?
Studying music at university is challenging but very rewarding, too. The first year has been about laying the foundations, but next year I’ll have more choice about what I want to do – and I can’t wait to get started!
All of my lecturers know that I am deaf, and they always provide written instructions and detailed presentation slides during and after lectures. We also have an online system which is updated before and after each lecture. This allows me to look at the topics coming up to prepare for lectures, and to then review what was covered afterwards. I have a very approachable personal tutor, so I can go to him if I ever feel like I’m struggling. I also use the new Phonak Roger System during some lectures.
What is your involvement with Phonak and what exciting equipment is there out there for deaf and HOH people? How does it work for you?
I was approached by Phonak just over a year ago as they were looking for people to trial their new Roger System. Although it is digital, the system is much like a traditional FM in many ways – I wear receivers on my hearing aids, and the person speaking (such as a lecturer) wears a microphone.
However, I use it primarily for listening to music. The Roger equipment has changed my life because as a musician, I’m constantly searching for ways to better my musical experience, and it gives an amazing, crystal-clear sound. I can also plug it into the TV and connect it to my iPhone via Bluetooth to have a phone conversation.
Different equipment comes at different prices. Some people may be eligible for equipment from social services, through Access to Work, or Disabled Students Allowance, and these are avenues well worth exploring.
A lot of people ask me how they can listen to music, the TV, or a phone conversation comfortably. My advice is to search around once you have a budget in mind. It’s much better to listen to music through your hearing aids via direct input (leads that plug into an attachment on your hearing aids), for instance, than whacking the volume right up on a pair of standard headphones or earphones.
Equipment comes in the form of FM systems, audio streamers, T-Loop headphones, and TV listeners, to name a few. I’d encourage people to ask their audiologist for advice on what’s suitable for them.
We hear you are involved in a few different projects at the moment?
Yes, currently I’m spending my spare time creating a decoupage violin case in my favourite Cath Kidston designs! This has been a really fun project so far, and has involved lots of paint, sticky glue, and fragile napkins. Hopefully the bulk of it will be done soon and then I can share the overall design with my friends.
Another thing I am hoping to do when I have the time is conduct a bit of a research project on what identity is and what it means to people (deaf and hearing). I had hoped to do this several weeks ago but sometimes life moves too quickly to do everything at once!
Tell us about your business – what is it like to run your own?
I run a small business called Rainbow Tubes where I create and sell on supplies for decorating hearing aids or cochlear implants. I started it after beginning to decorate my own hearing aids to build up my confidence, but there were very few places to buy supplies which were safe to use on hearing instrument.
By going through Rainbow Tubes, people can be confident that the stickers and tubes they’re using won’t damage their equipment. With the YouTube tutorials and written guides, they can see how easy and fun it is, and how not to compromise the function of the hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Running Rainbow Tubes is very fun but takes a lot of time and commitment. I’m really enjoying the experience so far, though I am still on a massive learning curve. Hopefully the business will continue to go from strength to strength!
What are your hopes, dreams or plans for the future? What would you like to do next?
After I have finished my degree, I plan to go on to train as a Teacher of the Deaf. I would love to combine my two main passions – music, and working with deaf children – into one.
I hope I can help to instil an ‘I can’ attitude into deaf children who may have been previously told they can’t do things – particularly when it comes to creating music. I also hope I can help deaf and hard of hearing people of all ages to feel comfortable with themselves.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.” – Helen Keller
Thank you for having me today!
Eloise is studying for a music degree at City University London. She runs her own business, Rainbow Tubes, which you can find on Etsy. She is passionate about promoting and encouraging self esteem in young deaf people, and is also involved with the Tree House group on Facebook. Currently, she is trialling the Roger System, including the Roger Pen, for Phonak.