Revolutionary operation could let deaf man, 29, hear for first time

Published on Wednesday 12 November 2008 09:03

HE has been completely deaf since birth, but a Dalry man is preparing for an operation which could let him hear for the first time.

Mark Ramsay, 29, will undergo the revolutionary treatment in one of his ears this week at a hospital in Ayrshire.

He came through a lengthy testing process which found he had sufficient nerves in his ear to go ahead with the cochlear implants treatment.

The three-day operation will begin tomorrow following a day's preparation, and by as early as next week a sensation most people take for granted will hopefully be gifted to him for the first time.

His brother Robert, 38, who lives in Meadowbank, said he was overwhelmed at the prospect of his brother being able to hear.

He has spent the last two decades raising funds and awareness about deafness, including a sponsored run which the Evening News covered when Mark was three.

"To think that he will be able to hear the sound of a tap running or people's voices is just unbelievable," he said. "You've no idea what this means to me or him.

"He will hear my voice, but I'll sound like a robot to him, and when he hears a car going past, it'll probably sound like a fighter jet.

"I taught him how to play pool and he's got really good at it. Now he'll be able to hear the ball rolling into the pocket."

And he added he hoped others would take hope from his sibling's story.

"Hope is a great word and a great concept," he said. "There must be people who read this who did not know of this treatment, and I would urge anyone to try it out to see what could happen. There have been huge medical advances and there still is all the time."

Mark recently moved to London after meeting his fiance Charlotte Redden, who is also deaf, on the internet, and flew up last night especially for the treatment. He communicates through sign language and lip reading.

He said: "I'm looking forward most to being able to talk to my mum and my family on the phone so they can know I am okay.

"I'm not nervous just now but I might be when I'm there. I heard about this ten years ago but other deaf people had bad experiences of it. It is much better now and I've researched all about it.

"When I get married I will be able to hear the vows. I've never known what music is so I can't think too much about it, but my mum said she was going to get me into Elvis."

The procedure – which will take place at Crosshouse Hospital's Scottish Cochlear Implant Centre – involves installing a tiny implant which bypasses damaged cells and activates hearing nerves.