Sangeeta's Story on Deaf Awareness

Hello everyone, my name is Sangeeta, and I am honoured to be here today to share my story on hearing loss and what Deaf Awareness means to me. I have first-hand experience navigating the challenges that come with hearing loss both in the workplace and in my personal life. I hope that my story can help promote greater awareness and understanding of the needs and experiences of those with a hidden disability.  

I've lived with hearing loss since childhood. For years, I kept my hearing loss a secret, which affected my confidence and mental health.  

At school, I struggled to keep up with my teacher and classmates, causing me to fall behind. However, as I learned to accept myself and live more authentically, I started to open up more about my disability and found that others felt comfortable sharing their struggles too. 

Now, I make sure to let my colleagues know about my condition before any face-to-face meetings, and I ask my team to repeat any questions that colleagues may ask. However, my hearing loss still causes some hilarious and embarrassing moments, such as when I misheard a colleague say "sweetheart" for "feet up" or when I accidentally threw away my hearing aids on a long-haul flight and had to go the whole weekend without them. Nonetheless, I've learned to live with my hearing loss and now feel like I live my truth.  

In a recent access to work assessment, I was granted specialised equipment that would help me hear on the phone, and my workplace adjustment passport lists all my specialised tools and requirements, saving me time and avoids constantly repeating myself when switching teams. I am also a committee member of the Deaf and Hearing Loss Group, working with like-minded colleagues who have different levels of hearing loss. 

I now have more compassion for other people. Many conditions, like hearing loss, are invisible. I try to treat other people with the same grace and compassion I hope to receive when I'm struggling.  

My experiences have shaped the person I am today and helping others is my passion. I lead Deaf Awareness sessions because I believe that kindness is universal. You can never understand all that a person is facing just by looking at them. Please be patient with anyone who has hearing loss and allow their brains to process what has been said. 

#DeafAwarenessWeek2023 

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