Self-esteem is a mysterious puzzle to many Cochlear Implant recipients, especially for teenage recipients and adults who get implanted for the first time. They tend to be acutely aware of the presence of the magnetic device on their head. They often grapple with the feeling that the CI speech processor does not look good on their heads. Cochlear implant user Alana is not shy to make her speech processor visible, even when under public scrutiny.
Alana Is An Award-Winning Travel Host
Alana is a co-producer and the host of Follow Alana (YouTube channel, Facebook page), a travel show about her visits to places and people across the globe. The award-winning international show is aired in several regions in Asia (including Taiwan, Singapore, and China). In an interview over a video call, Alana shared that her mother’s guidance was instrumental in building up her self-esteem as a CI recipient.
She Is A Unilateral CI User
Born to a Taiwanese father and an American mother, she has been profoundly deaf in both ears since birth due to a rare form of deafness that resulted in a malformation of both cochleas. She underwent experimental surgery to have CI implanted in her left ear when she was almost 3 years old. She was later implanted in her right ear at the age of 15. Unfortunately, it was too late for language acquisition in the right ear. Therefore, she depends solely on her left ear for communications despite having been implanted in both ears.
She Runs A Foundation Dedicated to the HOH Community in Taiwan
Alana worked in the international business field in Asia, Australia and Europe prior to her current travel host career. On the side, she has been helping out with the Children’s Hearing Foundation (CHF) which was founded by her mother, Joanna Nichols. She has been involved with public speaking and video production for the foundation. A producer spotted her flair for the stage and offered her an opportunity to host a travel show. That opportunity later led to the inception of Follow Alana.
Her Mother Was A Great Source of Support
The positivity, encouragement and love from her parents since a young age established a solid foundation for her future. Such foundation has empowered Alana to develop her own identity and advocate for herself. Alana recalled her mother telling her on the very first day of school that she needed to educate her classmates and teachers about hearing loss and her needs since not everyone would have had such awareness.
“There is no such thing as the kid being too young to know about this.” Joanna Nichols, Alana’s mother
Alana’s mother would make her practice the line – “Hi, I am Alana. I have hearing loss so I may not hear you properly and I need you to face me when you’re speaking to me.” Being upfront about her hearing loss gave her more confidence. When people discriminate, she would have had the self-confidence to stand up for herself. Today, Alana repeats the same line opening – but to a global audience who follows her travel show.
Alana wants to be the role model that she had hoped to have as a kid
You could find more cochlear implant user stories here.
CI Project collects cochlear implant user stories. I’d like to invite you to join the private Facebook group. You’ll receive an update of each new story (about once a month) and will get to interact with the characters of each story there. I’m also looking for more cochlear implant user stories. I’d appreciate it if you could nominate a cochlear implant user (including yourself) for me to write a story about!