Mollie Smith Oldest person in Europe to receive a hearing implant Country: Great Britain

1. The oldest person in Europe to receive a cochlear implant
2. The cochlear implant procedure
3. Molly Smith's biography

The oldest person in Europe to receive a cochlear implant

Molly Smith, a 99-year-old widow from Rugby, Warwickshire, became the oldest person in Europe to receive a cochlear implant. She believes that her hearing was affected by the noise of the German Zeppelins, especially during the airship bombings in World War I. Molly gradually lost her hearing over time, until she became completely deaf 29 years ago when she turned seventy. Her daughter, 77-year-old Rita, took care of her elderly mother full-time. Rita remembers, "My mom was always active, she went to the gym with me and loved the treadmill and rowing machine." However, problems with her hearing, as well as her deteriorating eyesight, naturally affected Molly's overall well-being and independence. Rita says, "Mom learned to lip-read, but not well enough to have a full conversation, and she couldn't hear herself speak, so she shouted a lot. Even when we were together, I had to take out a piece of paper and write down everything, which took a lot of time. Today, everything is simply wonderful, much easier for all of us."

The cochlear implant procedure

In January 2014, Molly underwent a surgical procedure to have a cochlear implant placed under the skin of her head. The implant itself doesn't cure deafness. Instead, the device activates the auditory nerve, and the signals sent to the brain help the patient "decode" sounds and understand words. Molly successfully passed all the tests that showed the implant was working properly. Essentially, she had to learn to understand speech again. The procedure was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, after Rita contacted the medical staff in June 2013. Today, a happy Molly, hearing her grandchildren again and hearing her great-grandson for the first time, shares her joy. She says, "I have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and it's just wonderful to hear them chatting with me. They will all be at my birthday in September, and I can't wait for them to sing for me. It will truly be something special, something I never expected. This implant has truly changed my life. Now I can communicate with people without having to raise my voice, so others won't hear what doesn't concern them." Molly continues, "The implant is so smart. It's quite amazing how it adjusts to the surroundings, never sending signals too loudly or too softly, but always just right... I had ringing in my ears, and all I could hear, or so it seemed, was the wind blowing through the trees. That was the last thing I heard before going deaf. In the past, I spent over £10,000 on hearing aids that didn't work, and now it's just amazing to finally hear again. I missed it so much."

Molly Smith's biography

Molly Smith was born in 1914 in Brigg, North Lincolnshire. Her mother said that the constant presence of enemy airships in the sky damaged the baby's hearing. Having survived the hardships of World War I, Molly worked as a motorcycle messenger during World War II. She then trained dogs until she became deaf in 1985. Almost 30 years have passed, and soon, on her 100th birthday, Molly Smith will not only gather with her large family around the festive table but also hear congratulations from the mouths of her beloved and close ones. The oldest person in the world to receive a cochlear implant is 102-year-old Jack Walley.