Amanda Storkey, a Unitron Brand Ambassador, shares her journey of hearing loss at 23 years as a result of a genetic condition. A teacher, a competitive sport fisher and a woman who has profound hearing loss, Amanda poignantly shares her feelings of loss but also self-discovery and empowerment.  

“I’d gone to teachers' college, and I was hired on as a teacher and I thought I was coming down with a cold. I was thinking I really can’t hear that well. And I remember distinctly teaching a grade 12 English class and having students giving me feedback and asking me questions. And I was nodding my head and saying yes…and I wasn’t hearing them. I was unable to just keep up. So, they sent me to a specialist again and I found out that I have a genetic condition and my hearing loss was going to deteriorate for the rest of my life.”

Amanda was 23 years old when she was diagnosed with hearing loss. Her personal insights provide a window into the world of people who experience hearing loss and the sounds that can be taken for granted – like birds chirping.

‘Before I lost my hearing, I knew what birds sounded like. Then when I lost my hearing, I realized I didn’t know what birds sounded like or what an airplane sounded like flying overhead. That was a challenge for me and I knew I was going to have wear technology.”

When Amanda got fitted with hearing aids, her life changed. 

“When I finally got hearing aids, I was thinking what’s that? What is that? And everyone said, that’s birds and those are planes! I had missed all those sounds for a really long time. I hadn’t realized that those sounds were missing from the depth of my experience in life I didn’t realize they weren’t there. So, when I got them back it just made everything more enjoyable.”

Amanda is committed to be an advocate and passionately pursues her fullest life, no matter how her hearing loss impacts her experience. 

“I want to be a role model for my future children one day and if I have a daughter and she experiences hearing loss I want her to know that she can do it too. She can do it too…just like mom.”

Unitron is proud to be Amanda’s chosen brand of hearing aid solutions and to be a part of her hearing journey.

Watch the full short film and be empowered – Thank you Amanda.

Do you think you might be experiencing hearing loss? Take our quick online test to access your hearing health. Click on ‘Check your hearing’ and then access resources to find a local hearing healthcare provider, https://www.unitron.com/ca/en_ca.html