Seelsorger der Ohren e.V.

14/06/2024

Sylke is a middle ear implant user and Hearpeers Mentor who supports others on their hearing journey. She also works as a communication trainer in Germany, where she helps people—with and without hearing loss—to improve their everyday communication skills.

“I want to share the knowledge and the experiences I have with others,” Sylke says, adding, “As Hearpeers Mentors, people who reach out to us place their trust in us. We should support them as much as we can.”

Sylke is one of many hearing implant users sharing their hearing journeys. Discover more of their inspiring stories at our website: https://brnw.ch/21wKJIH

19/12/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2481912105324243&id=100005164325419

Meet Sylke, a SOUNDBRIDGE middle ear implant user and Hearpeers Mentor from Germany.

At the age of 14, Sylke lost her hearing in her left ear due to a cholesteatoma. She went to school, studied, and worked—all while relying only on her right side. Then, 30 years later, a second cholesteatoma surgery caused hearing loss in her left ear as well. The sudden bilateral deafness took Sylke by surprise, and it was not until she met other cochlear implant users in a hearing rehabilitation center that she became aware of the possibility of receiving an implant herself.

As a Hearpeers Mentor, Sylke wants to support others who might struggle after losing their hearing and raise awareness for hearing implants so that they become as well-known as other medical implants. “To be able to say: Yes, there are hearing implants, and everybody knows where to go to get help. I think for me, that’s the biggest goal.”

Connect with Sylke and other Hearpeers Mentors from around the world at: https://brnw.ch/21wFpzd