Wendy Evans/Baha Patient Support
Wendy Evans spent forty years struggling with single sided hearing loss until she had a life-changing Baha in 2006. Not only has her Baha made Wendy realise just how much she had been missing out on before, it inspired her to help launch a Baha user Support Group in conjunction with The Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust.
Despite working in the NHS as a manager since 1979, Wendy only discovered the Baha system when she spoke to ENT consultant Mr G Weiner at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in December 2005.
Patient-led group
In March 2007, Wendy organised the first meeting of the support group in Exeter which, although patient-led, was attended by around 60 people including nurses, audiologist and surgeons from the hospital and the Baha programme there.
Wendy said: “My bone conduction hearing implant has changed my life in a way I hadn’t envisaged. I feel it is my mission to spread the good word and a patient support group is a great way to hear about other people’s experiences and an opportunity to help new users who might feel it is daunting.”
A subsequent meeting was held and Wendy is hopeful that there will be enough support to continue with the group.
Need to reach primary care
On her view about raising awareness of Baha outside a patient support group, Wendy believes that the best way is to get into primary care: “We need to get to the GPs, to educate them about the huge benefit that a Baha can give to someone with certain types of hearing loss. I play bridge with a group of 40 people, of whom 40% at least have hearing problems, and none of them had heard of Baha before I told them! There is still a lot of education to be done.”
