NEWS l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ntnews.com.au
Able to answer back at last
By CLAYTON BENNETT
PUB: NT NEWS
DATE: 19-JUN-2013 PAGE: 8
TOP Ender Michael Farris
can hear properly for the
first time in 15 years.
The Palmerston resident
was one of the few people
with hearing problems to
have a cochlear implant fitted in the Territory.
‘‘It’s a bit unbelievable
really, I didn’t think it (hearing) would happen again but
it has,’’ Mr Farris said.
‘‘It will make things so different — I will be able to hear
the TV and have conversations, and hopefully use a
mobile phone.’’
Cochlear implant surgery
was carried out for the first
time in the Territory at
Royal Darwin Hospital.
The 70-year-old said suffering hearing loss meant a lot
of stress and frustration.
His wife Barbara said she
had to previously act as a
translator between friends,
family and her husband.
Mr Farris said there was
one downside for his partner
now that he could hear again.
‘‘She won’t be able to talk
back to me because I can
hear her,’’ he joked.
Hearing problems in the
Territory were double the
national average, with two in
1000 people suffering loss.
Sydney Cochlear Implant
Centre (SCIC) chief executive
Robert McLeod said there
was a greater need in the NT.
‘‘There is a need for a permanent service for the Territory and the need hasn’t
been addressed,’’ he said.
The SCIC has donated five
cochlear implants, worth
$25,000 each, meaning Territorians won’t have to travel
interstate for surgery.
But Mr McLeod said the organisation wanted to speak
with NT Health about providing more.
More than 30 Territorians
have received a cochlear implant and there are 10 more
on a waiting list.
Mr Farris paid for his
treatment through his private health fund.
Many NT residents needing the implants are from remote communities.
Health Minister Robyn
Lambley said the Department of Health already sent
public patients who needed
cochlear implants to Sydney
for treatment based on clinical need. Ms Lambley said
patients who needed the implants were a minority.
‘‘Patients with hearing loss
who can benefit from cochlear implants account for a
small percentage of the overall number of people with
hearing loss,’’ she said.
Territorian Michael Farris can hear again thanks to his cochlear implant
Picture: ELISE DERWIN
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NT NEWS. Wednesday, June 19, 2013.
www.ntnews.com.au