Watch as a deaf woman hears her voice for the first time
We can’t tell you much about the woman in this video other than what she says about herself on her YouTube page:
I was born deaf and 8 weeks ago I received a hearing implant. This is the video of them turning it on and me hearing myself for the first time :)
But I think once you’ve watched the video, you’ll agree that we don’t need to know anything else. Her emotional reaction to hearing herself cry, speak and then laugh for the first time in her life is so genuine and profoundly moving I think it won’t be long before this video becomes one of the web’s most watched.
It’s easy for us to get caught up in the never-ending cycle of the latest smartphones, tablets and other gadgets, many of which we often refer to as “magical.” But if you really want to see magical technology, look no further…
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Update, Sunday Oct 2, 12:29 am
Judging from the comments, it seems that many folks have taken the headline (which was pulled from the woman’s own words) too literally. Just because she was deaf from birth, doesn’t mean she never heard a word anyone ever said to her. She apparently has used hearing aids most of her life. Likewise, just because she says she’s hearing her voice for the first time, doesn’t mean she’s never heard it *at all*, it could simply mean she’s never heard it with the assistance and extra clarity of her new implant. I’ve yet to find any credible evidence that this video is a hoax as some have suggested and can’t understand why anyone would want to create such a hoax (a fake reaction video to a hearing implant?). That said, if you think you have proof, please post below in the comments. – S.C.
[Source: BoingBoing]
Excitable 
A number of years ago I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the Masonic Foundation of Ontario, and organization that has supported research into deafness for many years, including paying for the implantation of Cochlear Implants long before the Province of Ontario Health Ministry would even consider it. On the dais in that meeting was a father and his 11 year old daughter who had been fitted with implants. He thanked the Foundation for their support and was almost in tears when he told us that the greatest impact for him was when his daughter was playing in the yard and he opened the upstairs window and called to her and for the first time ever she turned around and looked at him.
Along the back wall of the dais were lights made up of hanging crystals, somebody brushed against them making a tinkling noise. Nobody in the room had dry eyes when the girl jerked around, looked at the lights then looked at the audience, smiled and clapped her hands. Yes Cochlear Implants make a difference and I support them 100 percent.
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Anyone who actually believes this hoax should watch the other video on the “deaf” woman’s YouTube page. It was posted two years ago and in it you can hear her repeating a comment her husband makes and speaking to her daughter. So much for hearing herself for the first time.This woman should be ashamed of herself. I have friends who are actually deaf and what this woman is doing just for some attention is disgusting.
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Hoax? I don’t think scientists have the time to put on hoaxes. In revenge, I doubt that a born-deaf person can speak fluently without sounding weird. I suspect it may be a publicity stunt to fatten the CI makers portfolio… That apparatus can make someone hear but surely not train a person on how to speak correctly at the speed of light… Don’t forget, publicity lies beyond any recognition.
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i cannot believe that some one who just learned what hearing is, is able to pronouce words so clearly. just as a child who is as nice as it would be, with out learning these things, there is not way that she could be so clear and sure of sounds. part of that learning is being able to hear, and decipher the subtle differences in sounds, like ‘p’ and ‘th’, and even children who have partial hearing, have difficulty reproducing the sounds them selves. tho i could beilive that she lost hearing, and the CI re-enabled to to hear, with out that initial learning of speach, the parts of the brain attophy, and can certainly become lost to use. if you dont use it you lose it, certainly go for parts of the brain, and childhood is really the only time that most people are able to grow, as the whole of the brain is under growth, but as we age, the plastisity of the brain is definitely harder to come by.
i hope the whole story is told, there is no possible way that if this is the first time she has heard sounds, that she would be able to speak, or to ‘understand’ speach, until then, it would be static, and learning would be needed.
if this is her first time hearing, then she has simply not had the time to learn to hear, and speak, hence babys babble, is part of the learning process and she would be babbleing having still to learn what sounds mean what.
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Absolute crap, you can’t be born deaf and then suddenly after so many years, know how to speak english and know what every word means when it hits your ears. I mean wow “Can you hear me?” Her eyes were closed, yet she hears those words for the first time and she knows the question and can answer it, give me a break,,,,,
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I don’t see why you guys can’t just be happy for her. It’s true that she was deaf and now she can hear. We knew it was bound to happen some day; a deaf person being able to finally hear. So deal with it people.
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Now she can hear herself bitch and complain like all women do
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Having grown up around the deaf community, I can tell you that there are rare individuals who can speak clearly despite being deaf all of their lives BUT that being said, I find it HIGHLY questionable that she UNDERSTANDS what the other person is saying TO HER while her eyes are covered. In any event, having spoken with adult cochlear implant recipients, it is another way of hearing and relearning discerning speech patterns is not the same. My friend equates it to hearing a serious of whirrs and clicks that have specific meaning.
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It would be impossible for someone who has been deaf since birth to be able to speak fluently. If she had lost her hearing as a teenager, for example, then she would understand how to speak and comprehend what was going on. I doubt that the hearing loss happened shortly after birth – something does not add up right.
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DEFIANTLY FAKE!! SHE COULD NOT SPEAK THE WAY SHE DOES IF SHE WAS “DEAF FROM BIRTH”.
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YOU ARE PATHETIC!
If you actually listened to the her speaking you can hear her speech impediment.
People like you do not deserve to even comment on stories like this.
I hope one day you will witness a miracle and have some idiot tell you it was fake!!!!
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you be quiet….
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It is just AMAZING.
Congratulations for the people who uses techology the right way. Bravo!
Hey, anything is possible in this life. Reserve your bad comments in the basement please.
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this is like the “ugly Ben Laden” Story he was killed and then thrown in the sea,Believe or not! how can a deaf person speak fluently right after the medication. it could be an american movie!
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This is amazing! It made me cry. I am so happy for this girl……
Amazing technology and can not wait to see more stories such as this.
As for the idiots who think this is a hoax: I only hope that one day you will be able to experience a miracle that will enlighten you and bring you out of the little hole you are living in.
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Has anyone read the Wikipedia article on cochlear implants? According to that article to this woman people would sound very “robotic”, like the Daleks from the TV show Doctor Who, as these implants do not have high fidelity. There’s a lot of risks associated with the implant as well, such as infection, damage to facial nerves, or permanent tinnitus (a condition which has led to a number of people committing suicide, but is generally a nuisance to most people). Yet despite all of this, which this woman would surely have been warned of prior to the procedure, she still went forward with it, and it still led to a moment, and likely many more, of great happiness. Surely most of us have taken our own hearing for granted. Maybe I’ll turn down my iPod after all, and try to preserve my sense of hearing.
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Doctors just are interesting in $$$ and make hearing people believe………… Video fake!
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God’s People are gifted and through his hands someone was given the ability to make the hearing device so this beautiful person could speak. God truly is amazing, what a beautiful moment in life to be remembered and cherished, God Bless you sister. May your tomorrows be filled with the sound of laughter always!! :)
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Just a big fat HOAX. Someone is just having some fun killing time.
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As a person who has spent many years looking after the mentally challenged, as well as hard of hearing, I can tell you that this video is no fake! The hard of hearing or deaf folks, have different degrees of hearing losses. Each person is as individual as you, and therefore have different levels of speech impediments, some worse than others. If you Morons out there really listen, you can hear that she does have a slight slisp and does have the impedment that is associated by all hearing impaired persons. Further to this why on earth would anyone one want to discredit such a wonderful gift given, to a person you do not even know!!
Gods commandment “do not judge or cast the first stone! Too many people are rude,crude, hateful, spiteful and ignorant! Then you wonder why the world is the way it is! God bless the lady and i wish you all the best of luck in your new found world :)
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Wow. How amazing is this? Personally, I wasn’t thrilled to hear my own voice the first time on a tape recorder when I was about 13, but that’s when you’re at the awkward-easily embarrassed stage-this is VERY different. If she’s this emotional hearing her own voice (and who wouldn’t be?!) I hope she’s got a box of kleenex handy when she starts hearing the voices of loved ones like family and friends. This has made my day. As for the cynics on this board, I feel sorry for you.
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I found another page with this story, and it provided more information. The woman’s name is Sarah Churman, and the following is a quote from that site: “I had an implant put in 8 weeks ago called The Esteem Implant by Envoy Medical,” Churman wrote on her YouTube channel. “I was born deaf and have worn hearing aids from the age of 2, but hearing aids only help so much. I have gotten by this long in life by reading lips. This was taken as they were activating the implant.”
The above seems to explain why she was able to understand the technician when she spoke, even though at one point Ms. Churman had her eyes shut and covered with her hands…she had “worn hearing aids from the age of 2″…so the title of this piece is very, very misleading when is says she was hearing her voice for the first time…the reporter should have paid a little more attention to detail…
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If she was born deaf and was hearing herself for the first time
1) How in the world could she speak as clearly and fluently as she did?
2) How exactly can she understand what is being spoken to her by the other woman? She’s not looking at her lips, there is no sign language with her speaking.
Doesn’t make any sense to me.
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If you watch the video closely, she can hear!!! right from the first 5 to 10 seconds of it ….!!!shame on all of you doubters!!!
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when we talk to our babies it takes a while for them to understand the meanings of each word but we are expected to believe this woman understands the meaning hearing the words being spoken once. Its a great story if all the details were given.
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PERFECT SMART!!!
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why is it people only believe that which they can see touch or understand. If science can’t explain it then they look for the reasons why it cannot be in other words prove the “hoax”. If anything science has shown us through the the years that technology keeps advancing and if you extrapolate that to infinity then anything is possible. All the people here talking from experience with deafness are all saying that it is impossible that a person who is deaf speaks the way she does. I ask is it impossible or highly unlikely because there is a huge difference. Someone who is deaf from birth can speak that is a given. The question is how well they can speak. If they can speak then there is a possibility no matter how unlikely that they speak well simply because they have the ability to what is lacking is the how. I think those who steadfastly reject this video are close-minded and will never accept that the unlikely can happen. If the world were like that then we could not continue to dream and could not continue to make technological advances. Open your eyes its not a question of faith or God or science it is a question of probability. The answer is although unprobable it is possible. Understand the difference and why it is important to embrace that difference. Otherwise we would not have cars, planes, computers interent and medical advances like we are seeing lately. Is it a hoax? Maybe it is. Is It impossible? No nothing is impossible we just have not seen or figured it out yet but we will.
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My uncle was born deaf, but can still hear tones. He said my voice reminds him of my mother, so there’s that… He can’t hear my words, but knows when I’m speaking.
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to all those that say its fake…….
a deer, cow and horse all eat grass but the deer poops pellets, cow paddies and horse clumps. DO YOU KNOW WHY?
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Cindy. The lady says she has been deaf since birth. 8 weeks ago she received the implant. Some people are considered blind but are still able to see somewhat, so maybe being “deaf” doesn’t mean totally deaf.
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This ia a hoax.. also, the idea of having cochlear implant is silly.. I am deaf and i like to be that way all of my life. When will people leave deaf people alone for once? Let us be ourselves..
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Again, silly for you doesn’t mean silly for the next person. It is your perrogative to remain deaf if that’s what you’re comfortable with. But like someone else said, it is like learning a second language (knowing how to speak and knowing ASL), therefore opens more doors of opportunity. Much like a speaking person learning a second language such as French, Spanish etc.. Also, I believe it is human nature to want to explore things and make them better (realizing that obviously to you it doesn’t mean better, but to some it is a great opportunity). I am the “Grandma” who is hearing impaired myself wearing hearing aids my whole life with the grandson who was born deaf, received cochlear implants and is now attending deaf school, therefore I’m not just shooting off at the mouth. I know the difference and although I can still hear without my aids, I also know how much more I do hear with them and how much I am missing without them.
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Sorry, I don’t believe this story!!!
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I don’t see any on NEWS??? It should be real news but nothing a word that mean BS story…
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yes … BUT are the tattoos real?? if it’s just not THAT inspiring … she’s a great actress then … for one, i think she’s a sweetie that i just wanna HUG her … for her happiness and how she touched the lub-dub … waaahhh snicker honk snort poooooooooot!!
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oh … and the 9th cousin of my buddy’s dog was deaf … so i KNOW what i’m talking about …
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Just read your update Simon. You’ve got a lot of nerve berating people for thinking that this story might not be altogether true. The headline may have been the woman’s own words but YOU’RE the one who decided to run it. You posted an article without bothering to find out more of her background first to sensationalize it and now you’re pissy because you got called out.
To the woman in the video~ very touching & I love your ink :)
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Sammy, cool your jets. I’m not berating anyone. The headline was not only a quote from the woman’s YouTube page, it’s the same headline that the source site (BoingBoing) ran and I felt it was a good headline so I kept it – if it ain’t broke etc. The intent was not to sensationalize. The intent was to give people a reason to read the story. That’s what headlines do. Naturally, if you feel that the headline misled you, I do apologize. But I read BoingBoing’s headline before I read their article and definitely didn’t feel misled once I got there. I simply watched the video and was overwhelmed by what I saw. Then I passed it along. Glad you liked it.
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I vote hoax and I’ll tell you why. I have a daughter with 2 cochlear implants, one put in a 4 years and the second put in at 8 years. She had 5 years of auditory verbal theraphy and at 11, she still does not talk as well as the person in the video — she has a nasal inflection and a bit of an accent. If the person in the video had hearing for the first couple of years of life to develop language, and then lost her hearing through something like menongitis, then it is possible. I know many adult deaf people who have done as well as they could through the use of hearing aids, and some have cochlear implants now and they still have inflections in their speaking that just aren’t going to go away. Sorry, don’t buy that this was a deaf from birth person getting a cochlear implant. Their speech would be very slurred and difficult to understand. Have you ever heard Marlee Matlin speak? That’s what I mean. It’s a shame that something as magical as the activation of a cochlear implant is being acted out.
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Years ago, early 1970’s, my former wife and I had two foster children. The youngest, two year old Michael, was born deaf because his mother had had Rubella while she was carriyng him. We took him to the Hearing clinic at UBC. After rigorous testing he was fitted with a device (Microphone) which belted to his chest and plugged into his ears like a stethescope.
I will NEVER in my life forget the expression on that young childs face when he heard a sound for the very first time in his life. I wish I’d taken a picture because no words can describe it.
The hearing specialist tapped a tuning fork on the table and held it to the microphone. It was so totally awesome and profound. We all cried, and from that point on, he heard everything.
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Total hogwash!
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There are levels in any disability, For instance people who are legally blind can still get around. I think the point is missed. Modern Technology can greatly improve the standard of life of those that have impaired senses.
So praise for mankind. Did I leave anyone out.
YES i was touched by the video. Having been blind, crippled in my life for a time I understand that any improvement can seem as miraculous as her reaction. I got better 100% though I was left with eyes open to an appreciation that only experience can teach.
To bad there isn’t a way to be deaf dumb and blind for a day and all the conflict demonstrated in this conversation would be more authentic.
Tommy can you Hear me? …
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I never understand why people want to argue on something as simple as this clip. Short of the deaf (whichever definition you choose), the professionals in audiology/speech, and those families affected, not many people have the background to dispute this woman. Take the video for what it is meant to be (a happy moment)or NOT. No need to be ugly about it, close out of the clip and get on with your day. Maybe it is a matter of feeling smarter than the rest of the world and trying to inform the deaf public about the use of C.I.’s. Noble of you, if you have the correct information. Wouldn’t it be better to just suggest they speak to an appropriate professional? Just my opinion.
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Come now. Why is it as humans we must criticize everything!
This is exciting, regardless of what the video implies! Can
we not just sit and enjoy the joy of this woman, if it is fake…
So what! you go to ‘feel good’ movies all the time do you not?
That is clearly fake yet you don’t sit there and criticize it so
therefore don’t sit and criticize something that seems too good
to be true, enjoy it!
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Everyone who is so intent on defending this shameful hoax is willfully ignoring the fact that another video, one posted 2 years ago on this woman’s YouTube page, shows her hearing well enough to repeat a comment her husband makes. So yes, I find it very hard to believe that she is hearing for the first time.
The people who want to go on believing this “miracle” will likely not be dissuaded by any amount of proof or logic. Faith is both deaf and blind. The fallacy of the confirmation bias is infinitely infallible.
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Tabs, I think the fallacy here might be yours. The video you mention doesn’t show her at all. Yes, she repeats her husband. But how do we know she heard him say it? Could she have read his lips? Of course. Or, as the woman points out (and something many commenters seem to be overlooking) it’s not that she has never heard before the implant. In fact, she was using hearing aids so she was probably able to make out many sounds including words. But the whole point of the video is that she is getting to hear the world a little bit better suddenly and she is emotional about it. If you’re still having trouble “believing”, think of someone who has had cataracts all their life and then undergoes corrective surgery. Were they blind before hand? No. But will they be awed by the world they can now see through eyes that work correctly for the first time? Absolutely. Just ask someone who has had it done.
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Simon, no need to get personal but please do some basic research. I don’t need to ask someone who has had it done. I know many people in the deaf community, with various levels of hearing. Some people I know have elected to use hearing aids, others have had C.I, while others have learned to voice without the aid of either. Everyone I know who was born deaf, even with the assistance of hearing aids, lip-reading and much diligence at speech therapy, have slight inflections and speak in a slight, moderate or profound “deaf voice”. The reason is because when you are unable to hear yourself, you don’t have the ability to modulate and self-correct the tone, pitch and volume of speech. The ability to hear vocal tone and inflection and this feedback loop are an essential part of “normal” speech. There is much debate over efficacy and the use of hearing aids and C.I but I won’t get into that in this forum. The bottom line is that hearing aids only help so much. The woman in this video (and the same one from two years ago) had “normal” speech and absolutely none of the speech patterns and issues with pitch/tone that you would expect from someone who was born deaf. If you’ve ever listened to the sound output of a hearing aid, the amplification sounds a lot like a ‘deaf voice’. In the acquisition of language, you learn by emulating. For a person who is born deaf, even with much practice, the speech sounds they emulate are the speech sounds distorted by amplification and not “normal” speech sounds.
Just ask someone from the deaf community.
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Hey Tabs, I’m sure I could do lots of research on this and come away with a lot of different answers when it comes to what a ‘deaf’ person sounds like. But here’s what I don’t understand: Without knowing this woman or her specific circumstances, without hearing more than a few words over two videos, people are happy to label her a fake. Is it possible the whole thing is a hoax? Sure, it’s possible. But it’s equally (if not more) possible that the video is exactly what she says it is: an emotional reaction to having her hearing improved after receiving an implant. So far, the only evidence that the nay-sayers have offered to prove it’s fake is the belief that she just doesn’t talk like any deaf person they’ve ever known. That to me seems like saying that an Asian person speaking with a Scottish accent must be faking it, because you’ve never met an Asian person who was Scottish. Hopefully one day we’ll learn more about the woman in the video and we’ll get some closure on this debate, but in the meantime I see no reason to doubt her or her video and still can’t fathom why anyone would want to fake something like this anyway.
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Very fake…Sorry.
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I can’t believe everyone that is so ignorant. I am deaf as well, although I was born hard of hearing, my hearing got worse with tinnitus which is ringing in the ears.
But I had speech therapy and hearing aids all my life, and was a candidate for a CI (cochlear implant) but for medical reasons I was turned down.
But I can’t believe the gall some people have accusing the woman of being fake. Every deaf / hard of hearing have different types of hearing loss and speech therapy and hearing with hearing aids have a great impact on how the implant works because a hearing aid keeps the hearing cells from dying, the longer you are without a hearing aid you do lose the ability to hear, she may have gone from a hearing aid to the implant whether it’s internal, cochlear, whatever, it can improve her hearing greatly, because she’s lived all her life with hearing aids.
So people, never judge someone, how would you like it if you were judged ?
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By the way she was on ellen. So I hope that shows you its not fake!
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You can’t fathom what 6.5 million viewers will do for Envoy’s previously dismal sales? The Esteem implant is not really that new, it was just never really very popular, until now. It’s called publicity, Simon. Oh and I did notice that Sarah got a nice big check to the tune of $30,000 from Envoy Medical for all the publicity she has drummed up for them.
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Wow, that’s an angle I admit I had not thought of. So you think this was staged as a PR piece for a company that makes implants? You might be right. But I’m curious about two things: How would a casual viewer ever know that it was an Envoy device she had implanted (it’s never mentioned anywhere) and, where did you learn she was paid by them? And who is Sarah? I think the name of the woman in the video is Sloan Churman.
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The promo for the Esteem implant is in the description of the video on her YouTube page:
“For those of you who have asked the implant I received was Esteem offered by Envoy Medical. Check out my blog:http://sarahchurman.blogspot.com/. Sarah Churman.”
The name of the woman in the video is Sarah Churman. Sloan is her husband. The big check from Envoy Medical was given to Sarah on the Ellen show.
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Okay, now I get it. But there’s still a chicken and egg question here: Did she post the video at Esteem’s request, or did they merely take advantage of an amazing PR opportunity that just happened to fall into their lap? Again, given that there was no mention of the Esteem connection at the time she posted the original video, it’s kind of cynical to think this was a PR stunt from the beginning. And if you do think that, then the production staff of the Ellen show are complicit in the stunt as they provided the venue for the big cheque presentation. Not saying it couldn’t be, just saying it still seems much more likely that this was a Justin Bieber situation – random YouTube post goes viral, gets noticed by a big company and voila, the rest is history.
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Dear Tabs,
Sounds as though you have an axe to grind on Envoy Medical. What aren’t you telling us? Are you a former employee, maybe a little digruntled? Cochlear Implants went through a birthing by the public. They just didn’t take off either until it was around for a while with dismal sales too! Please stop grinding your axe it’s bothering the neighbors!
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Dear Peter,
For the record, I am not and have never been employed by Envoy or affiliated with them in any way; though I doubt the same can be said about you. I don’t have anything personal against Envoy Medical. Logic just dictates that they would have the most to gain from all the publicity.
I am just your regular Joe Public university student. One thing I’ve learned at university is to think for myself and yes, to question everything I read, especially on the internet. I don’t believe that a healthy dose of cynicism is necessarily a bad thing in this big wide world of the web. If something I read doesn’t make sense to me, and conflicts with other information I have, I will question it. From what I have seen on this and other forums, I’m not the only one with these questions. I’ve analyzed what was presented, put forward a theory, and have supported it with valid arguments. As a researcher, you should be familiar with this. I’m sorry if my opinion displeases/disturbs you but the great thing about this country is the freedom of speech. I for one am happy this video is generating so much healthy debate. I appreciate that Simon has been happy to engage in one with me. I am also willing to admit that Simon has presented a plausible scenario and that this might just be a good PR opportunity that fell into Envoy’s lap.
One thing I’m still curious about is why, if Sarah was just posting the video for her family and friends, she needed to explain in her video post that she has been deaf all her life. Wouldn’t her family and friends already know this?
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Hey Tabs,
There’s no doubt in my mind that Sarah wanted to reach a broad audience with her video, but that still doesn’t mean she was in Envoy’s back pocket when she created and uploaded it. If that were the case, every single ‘unboxing video’ on YouTube would be suspect ;-) Instead, I think she just wanted a public record of what was for her, a very exciting and emotional moment. Like you, I’m a big believer in ‘following the money’, but I also tend to believe the best of people. While I still think your theory has merit, I prefer to think that Sarah was acting on her own, driven by the same need to share that powers almost all of our social interactions. I’m going to stick with that version of events until someone comes forward with irrefutable proof to the contrary. :-)
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Simon & all,
Looks as though Tabs can’t take a punch, though he definetly likes to throw them, especially on those who can’t fight back. Thanks for maintaining a level and common sensed approach on this blog. This will be my final entry as well. Finally I will say that what has been witnessed by all of you is a breakthrough in hearing technology that is as close to a miracle in modern developments as one can get. It took (15) years of plain hard work and millions upon millions in funding to allow Sarah and those like her to have this miracle. Peace to all!
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Dear Tabs,
You have a very strange take on people. Looks like you don’t even trust your mother. So here is my question. Where is your proof? If you don’t have proof all you are is an angry voice shouting in the wind. You are not an expert in hearing so what are you an expert at B.S.? You are nothing more than an illogical young man who is stuck in a loop. This means without proof you are just lonely and want some attention. So now what? You need to get a life dude! In regards to why she had to explain she had been deaf is really very simple, but your keen mind seems to have missed the obvious here. She posted this to Facebook, so there obviously would be people who are not family and friends who would be watching this video. Duh! I do more than put my foot in my mouth when I open it. I make sure that I have thought things through first and I also don’t try to ruin reputations without proof! I call you illogical and someone who is bored with his existence. Do you kill small animals for something fun to do as well? Your negativity will kill you quicker than you realize. You have a chance to do something positive with your life, why are you wasting it??? Do you know you can get sued for slander in the real world? That’s probably why you don’t use your name I bet. So I wish you all the best, and hope you wake up before it’s too late!
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Simon: I can appreciate your optimism and belief in the goodness of people. Respectfully, I think we agree to disagree. :)
Peter: you need to chill out dude. Look who is the angry voice in the wind! Do you think your arguments have more merit or logic simply because you can throw more insults behind them. Your arguments are nothing more than angry school yard taunts. You are insulting some kid on the internet just for having an opinion? I think you are the one who needs to get a life. As much fun as this has been, I’m quite done engaging in this juvenile name-calling with you. You need to relax a little, and stop taking yourself so goddamn seriously, before your tiny little ego just implodes. :)
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I wish to set the record straight on Sarah Churman and her husband Sloan. If you were paying attention from the beginning of this viral episode, you would know that Sarah posted this video on her Facebook page for her friends and family. Envoy Medical Corporation was not involved in this other than to implant her, refund the $30,000 and offer her a second implant for free for the other ear as a sign of their appreciation. I know personally that this was never any form of a PR stunt, period. Please look up the definition for clinical deafness folks, it seems the majority on this blog don’t even have a clue. Next Sarah has had “extensive” speech threapy along with high power hearing aids to make use of what little residual hearing that she had left. Not all “deaf people” sound the same, I know I have been in hearing research for over 30 years. I don’t blame people for being suspicious, that’s how the world is today. Don’t trust anyone, don’t talk to anyone, don’t believe what you see on TV or the internet, everything’s a con. The world has become polarized, everyone is suspect, what a sad scenario, don’t you think? To all the nay sayers truth has a way of shining through —– Too bad you got it all wrong!—– Sarah can hear! That is the miracle! She can now participate in the world, and she is not polarized, she now has a new life ————- smile and wish her well.
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This article says she got her first hearing implant at the age of 2.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44756127/ns/today-good_news/t/deaf-woman-hears-own-voice-i-didnt-know-i-had-accent/#.T8gPtlKwV64
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I’am Hard of hearing. I Been around with Hearing and deaf world And I Really think she is fakeing on that video if they say she is really deaf She Would have Hear long time ago and she talk just like hearing people I Can tell what the diff with Deaf people the way they talk and hearing people How Do I Know Becuse She Take Really high Most Deaf people talk really Low. If you were bron deaf it dose not mean she or he can talk well. If You were born Hard of hearing like me then you wound kind just like hearing people See the diff?
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Hello Holly and all, I work at the company that makes the Esteem implant. I have met and talked with Sarah Churman. Again I must remind all readers that Sarah had the benefit of intense speech therapy so she doesn’t have what you all call “deaf speak”. Any of you who have “deaf speak” can also get this benefit with speach therapy if you are willing to do the work. I say work because it is very demanding and Sarah has an incredible attitude about life. She is willing to work to be the very best wife, mother and human being possible. She is one incredible person, so do not cast stones if you don’t know all the facts folks. Be happy for her and now that she has the second implant you can no longer tell she ever had that drastic of a hearing loss. When she took out her super power BTE hearing aids before the operation she could not hear well enough to hear conversation of any kind. Even when she used her aids her children still hadd to “hollar” at her when trying to talk with her. Be well!
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Dear Peter Thank You for the comment that you sand Me I Like your comment But I’ve Deaf Friends Most Of them don wanna be become hearing They Mostly like to be Deaf Becuse They Feel Hearing Don’t care about There language Or Who They Are. I Do Feel that way too in someway Becuse I Can Hear but I’am Part deaf I Grow Up With Deaf and hearing world If They all deaf people do become Hearing then that would scare them to hear everything but if you guy do I Think it would be better Give it to a child not grow up you know?
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