When you meet Michael you are instantly taken with his easy-going charm and soft-spoken generosity. He wants to share his story – for himself, but also to encourage anyone who could be experiencing hearing loss. Michael wants others to know how important it is to protect their hearing and what they might be missing. “Every time I’d come home and we’d be watching TV, the TV kept going louder and louder. My wife would say why is it so loud? Well, I can’t hear it.”
Michael lost his hearing to a lifelong career as an ironworker in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. He has been retired for almost twenty years and continues to be proud of his work and accomplishments, while also deeply aware of the toll it took on his hearing health.
Ironworkers are exposed to an extreme level of noise. Studies show that 86% of the time ironworkers are exposed over The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit. *
This level of noise exposure is loud enough and can last long enough to damage nerves in the inner ear and may cause permanent hearing loss.
Michael does not lament the loss of his hearing; in fact, he lives his life to the fullest travelling around the world with his wife Elenora and playing the game he has loved since he was a child – baseball. “The BC Senior Games, well I have been in them six times. I have five medals, three golds and two bronze. It’s a totally wonderful experience to play. I just love baseball!”
Unitron is deeply grateful to Michael McGhee for openly sharing his inspiring story. His message truly captures Unitron’s message of living a full life and loving the experience.
Learn more about Unitron hearing aids and how to find the perfect hearing solution for your lifestyle, https://www.unitron.com/global/en_us/consumers.html
By Jennifer Vandermolen
*The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2018) The Construction Chart Book, CPWR
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/infographic-ironworkers.html