Free hearing aid program helps Ontario woman hear for the 1st time in 60 years
Cindy Weber says her life will never be the same after receiving a gift most people take for granted - the ability to hear.
"You have no idea what it's like when I heard," an emotional Weber says.
For over 60 years, Weber lived with a hearing impairment after a bout of meningitis as a young child.
"I got from the age of six to 68 by reading lips," she says.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
A few weeks ago, Weber became one of five people in Ontario to receive a free pair of hearing aids as part of an annual program by Hear Well Be Well, called Gift of Hearing.
"I heard the first sounds of birds, and I will hear my grandson for the first time. You can't replace that," she says.
Hari Khalsa, a hearing instrument specialist with Hear Well Be Well, highlights that hearing loss is more common than most people might think.
He estimates 10 per cent of the world's population has hearing loss, with around 70 per cent of people over 70 experiencing some level of hearing impairment.
Cindy Weber, 68, of Tiny Township, Ont., has her hearing tested at the Hear Well Be Well clinic. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)
After getting the hearing aids, Weber says she experienced the world in a whole new way, including taking in all the sounds on the car ride home with her daughter, like the noise from the turn indicator.
"I can hear that signal, click click click click. There's birds. There's birds out there!"
Hear Well Be Well's hearing program offers free hearing aids to those who need them, with each pair costing as much as $10,000.
For those at Hear Well Be Well, the Gift of Hearing program is more than just providing hearing aids to those in need; it's about helping people improve their quality of life.
"We work with some of the manufacturers to be able to get people hearing aids at no charge," says Wendy Moore, Hear Well Be Well.
For Weber, her life will never be the same again.
"I can hear my footsteps when I walk," she says. "People that take things for granted really should be really lucky for what they have and be happy."
Hear Well Be Well will offer a similar program this ear and will accept applications in May.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
DEVELOPING Israel targets air defence system in Syria, state news agency says
Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defence unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
NEW From window blinds to motorcycle helmets, here are the recalls in Canada this week
Here are the various items Health Canada recalled this week, including motorcycle helmets, power adapters, and bicycle cranksets.