THE STIGMA of deafness is being tackled in verse by a Stratford woman.
Sue Ashton noticed her hearing started to deteriorate in her late 40s and said she felt self-conscious when she could not hear people properly over the phone or when they spoke to her.
But Sue, who is now 64, had her life transformed when her doctor gave her a hearing aid.
Wanting to help others who struggled with deafness she visited the website for charity Action on Hearing Loss to look for volunteering opportunities.
It was reading more about people struggling from hearing loss which inspired her to put down the laptop and pick up a pen and paper.
Sue said: “Having never written a poem before in my life, out came the three poems.
“I can honestly say they wrote themselves. I’d heard songwriters say this before, now I know it’s true – I guess they came straight from the heart.
“Having my hearing aid has transformed my life! It’s given me back my self-confidence and become part of me, removing any anxiety I may have had.”
The charity say they hope Sue’s heartfelt words will ring true with those struggling with hearing loss and those who speak to someone who suffers from hearing problems.
Charity chief executive Paul Breckell said: “It is incredibly inspiring to read Sue’s words on how hearing loss has affected her life, and her personal experiences through poetry are much more impactful than anything I could ever say.
“We hope her poems demonstrate just how difficult everyday situations can be for the one in six people living with hearing loss across the UK and make people think about how they themselves can become more deaf aware.
“We encourage people to visit our website for some simple deaf awareness tips to make interactions with their hearing loss peers that little bit easier.”
Visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk to find out more.
Pardon?
‘Pardon?’ I say again
Eyebrows raise
A sigh is heard
The sinking feeling
The frustration.
If only they knew
How hard I try
To hear what they say
The lip reading
The concentration.
Sometimes I nod
When I should have shook
Once again I feel
The embarrassment
The humiliation.
A little patience,
A smile, a look
That says, ‘It’s ok’
Stop me feeling
The isolation.
