RNID

KT Tunstall presents the R4 Appeal on behalf of RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People). 

Ten years ago, I was on tour in the US when I woke up completely deaf in my left ear. As a musician, I felt devastated. I was meant to be having the time of my life, but instead I had to cancel gigs and face an uncertain future. 

A decade on, and I still struggle to follow conversation in busy places, and I can’t wear a hearing aid because there’s nothing left to amplify. 

Thankfully, the charity RNID supports thousands of people like me, each year, who have hearing loss or who are deaf or experience tinnitus. People like Charlotte from Leicestershire, who has lived with severe hearing loss for most of their life. 

As a child, they had recurring ear infections, that led to a perforated eardrum, that wasn’t diagnosed until their teens. It affected their speech, and they were badly bullied in school. They so wanted to fit in, but it deeply impacted their mental health, and they didn’t feel ready for surgery that may have helped. 

Last year Charlotte, who’s now in their thirties, lost hearing in both ears. Social situations became overwhelming, and at work, Charlotte struggled to understand their colleagues. This dented their confidence, and made them feel anxious, frustrated and alone. Eventually they quit their job. 

Everything changed when Charlotte found RNID. They went to a free drop-in service in their local area, where they were introduced to technology to help with communication. Now Charlotte can transcribe calls on their mobile phone and uses its inbuilt microphone to amplify conversation directly to earphones or hearing aids. They were also told about a scheme for support in the workplace and received information about implant hearing aids. 

Now Charlotte is trialling a Bone Conduction Hearing Device, which sends sounds directly to their inner ear, and they’re blown away by what they can hear. The tick of a car indicator, the water boiling in a kettle and the wind blowing through the trees. 

For the first time Charlotte says their world has come alive and they’re starting to feel confident about their future. 

Your generosity today means RNID can continue to be there for other people just like Charlotte. £10 can help give someone personalised support through RNID’s local services or accessible helpline, but anything you donate can transform somebody’s life. 

To give, please search online for BBC Radio 4 Appeal or call 0800 404 8144. That’s 0800 404 8144. Or write a cheque to RNID and send it to Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. And please write RNID on the back of your envelope. Thank you so much.