A Filmmaker With Cochlear Implants: Mariana’s Story

My name is Mariana. I’m a 23-year-old CI user from Colombia and am about to finish my filmmaking degree. For as long as I can remember, my passion has been making films. From a young age, I was always captivated by stories that could be told on screen, connecting to people’s emotions, regardless of their nationality or culture.

Cause of Deafness Unknown

I was born without hearing problems, but I gradually began to lose my hearing when I was 5 years old. At the age of 13, my hearing loss was irreversible, with less than 10% of my hearing left in each ear. Even after several medical examinations and studies, specialists were not able to figure out the cause of my deafness.

Bilateral Implantation as a Teenager

When I was 13, I got my first cochlear implant, a CONCERTO system from MED-EL, and when I was 17, I got my second cochlear implant, a SYNCHRONY. Thanks to the backwards compatibility of MED-EL audio processors extending back to 1994, I can now benefit from the newest technology of my SONNET 2 behind-the-ear (BTE) audio processors.

The Importance of Support During Rehab

Family support is very important on a journey like this. I got all the support I needed from my loved ones to continue therapy and rehabilitation exercises even after finishing the sessions with my rehabilitation therapist. Thanks to my family and their constant encouragement during rehab, I discovered many new sounds. Repeating words, or turning on the blender, TV, or coffee maker while listening were exercises that enabled me to learn how to recognize and identify sounds.

Overcoming Hearing Challenges

My passion for telling my story is what shaped my progress in this world of sounds. Auditory rehabilitation was a big challenge for me. With continuous training to recognize, distinguish, and identify sounds, one of the biggest challenges was being able to identify people’s voices through the phone. With dedication and discipline, I managed to overcome these challenges.

Telling My Story in Film

Despite facing these hurdles, I never abandoned my dream of becoming a filmmaker. I wanted to share my story and creative vision through audiovisual storytelling, and film is the perfect medium to do so. Now I am about to submit my thesis and have already made my first film, Trascendiendo al silencio (Transcending silence), a testimony to resilience, self-improvement, and personal acceptance.

My Life-Changing Cochlear Implants

MED-EL cochlear implants can completely change a person’s life. I can confirm that my life is completely different now: Thanks to my CIs, I was able to study filmmaking, find love, make new friends, and leave behind the bullying I experienced in school, as many people with hearing loss do.

My Advice for Others With Hearing Loss

For everyone who’s in the process of getting a cochlear implant: I know it can be very overwhelming and frightening in the beginning. However, once you dive into this wonderful world of hearing, you realize that you’re regaining something essential in your life: the ability to experience the world through an intact sense.

Thank you, Mariana!