Hear For George
Our beautiful George was born in March 2022. We never imagined to see him turn the world upside down and upside down like he did. But it was all positive. We learned via a newborn hearing test the fact that George is severely deaf across both ears. As our family, we don’t have any prior history of hearing loss or never had any experience with deafness. It was huge and painful, to begin with.
The first few months it was very stressful, and there were numerous hospital visits, listening tests, referrals, and so on. It was an overwhelming amount. The whole experience was dark and depressing. There wasn’t much to celebrate, and we were a bit late to the “new baby” stage.
When George was only three years old, he got hearing aids. While we aren’t convinced they allowed him to speak speech, he was able to wear the aids with aplomb and would always smile an enormous smile whenever we put them on; therefore, he could have recognized that he had gained something good from the aids.
Around this time, I grew tired of the doom and gloom attitude. I wanted to celebrate George and all their milestones as the man he was. I went online to find printed greeting cards and other prints aimed at those with hearing problems but could not find anything particularly relevant.
It was a number of hospital appointments, an MRI scan, and surgery for bilateral cochlear implants. I was overwhelmed with joy. George performed amazingly in his recovery and surgery, and I was determined to commemorate this. I looked on the internet for a Switch On Day card, but there was nothing to be found.
In early 2023, my younger sister Emily and I began thinking about starting our online store with inclusive designs and cards aimed toward those who have hearing loss. At the beginning of March, we began to launch the shop HearFor George, and so far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. We’re extremely pleased with our little shop and everything it represents. Making a difference in the lives of people we enjoy, for people we love, and making a difference in the lives of deaf people.
We offer British Sign Language (BSL) fingerspelling cards for every occasion such as birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, etc. – along with our range of cochlear implants, including “Switch On Day “Happy Hearing Birthday” and a variety of prints.
We’re always adding more items to our online store. Keep in mind our social channels for updates on new products. If you have something that you’re looking for, contact us. We’re always open to innovative ideas.
My advice to anyone who has a child who recently received a diagnosis of hearing loss is, while it may be overwhelming initially, the world is about to get more bright… So, be proud of all that your loved one has achieved!
