Janelle is profoundly deaf and with the help of Variety, she was able to purchase a hearing processor.

Janelle Milne

Profoundly deaf, 10 year old Janelle can only hear with a cochlear implant and is completely dependent on it for communication. The old hearing device that she had since she was two required long cords to connect to her headset which presented a safety hazard. Also, due to the large size of the device, she was required to wear a bulky external pack to accommodate it.

When the time came to upgrade her hearing device, Janelle’s parents came to Variety for assistance. Variety provided the funding for a brand new processor that, with its advances in technology, can fit entirely behind the ear. Now she can play sports with friends and participate in everyday activities without having to worry about cords, wires or a large machine getting in her way. It is also waterproof so she can wear it in the rain, run through sprinklers, take a bath – all without worrying about damaging the new implant. Most importantly, it has also allowed her to hear better than ever before. She began discovering sounds that she had never heard in her life, like the sound of footsteps. It has really changed the way she experiences the world.