The Costs of Waiting
The average person waits nearly seven years from the onset of hearing loss until they seek help. Not only does this delay enjoyment of better hearing, but it also exposes them to a variety of health risks and challenges in their everyday lives.

“Watching these courageous individuals on their journeys back to better hearing is both heartwrenching and heartwarming,” said Debra Ludgate, Sr. Director, Signia brand hearing aids. “We’ve never had such a raw view into the true extent of lost opportunities and connections caused by waiting to address hearing loss and how life-changing it is when you finally do something about it. These individuals provide inspiration for living life to its fullest.”

Signia launched the It’s Your Choice project in 2017 to raise awareness of the negative effects of untreated hearing loss. Signia performed a nationwide search to find three individuals with hearing loss who had not yet taken the necessary steps to address their condition. Those selected received hearing tests, expert diagnoses, and a pair of Signia’s top-of-the-line hearing aids matched to their specific needs – all at no cost to the individual. Signia captured each of these emotional stories in three segments comprising the It’s Your Choice video series. The complete series is available today for viewing at www.signiausa.com/itsyourchoice.

Introducing the Winners
Harvey Patterson lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, daughter, and two grandchildren. Harvey has had a lifelong love of all things mechanical working as a machine tool designer and enjoying a hobby as a Nascar pit mechanic. Unfortunately, Harvey‘s lifetime exposure to loud sounds took a significant toll on his hearing. When diminished hearing caused him to misunderstand his grandson, leading Harvey to miss an important track meet, he knew he had to take action. Signia set Harvey up with Dr. Daisy Elwick of BrightHear Audiology in Arcadia. See Harvey’s journey here.

Memphis resident Danyell Schendel lost nearly all hearing in her right ear after a bout with meningitis as a toddler. During childhood, Danyell developed a sense of shame about being different and kept her hearing loss a secret from all but her closest friends. With the help of Tania Williams of Brentwood Hearing in Nashville, Danyell was finally able to address her condition. See Danyell’s journey here.

Robert Seidler is a filmmaker based in Sopchoppy (near Tallahassee). Robert is also an avid cyclist for whom cycling creates a special “Zen-like“ environment where he can discuss projects with clients and talk about life’s important issues with his friends and family. As Robert’s hearing declined, this special environment became silent, and he  became increasingly depressed and withdrawn.Tammara Thompson from All Clear Hearing Centers in Panama City Beach helped guide Robert back to a world of hearing so he could once again enjoy his Zen cycling world. See Robert’s story here.

Discover the joy that comes with having full hearing once again in this video series on #hearingloss: https://www.signiausa.com/itsyourchoice #ItsYourChoice Tweet

For More Information: Signia has created a webpage with a wealth of information about hearing loss and the effects of waiting too long to address your loss. Visit www.signiausa.com/itsyourchoice for more information.

To learn more about Signia, visit http://signiaUSA.com.

About the Sivantos Group
The business operations of the former Siemens AG hearing aid division have been combined into the Sivantos Group since early 2015. Sivantos can look back on almost 140 years of German engineering and countless global innovations. Today Sivantos is one of the leading hearing aid manufacturers worldwide. With its around 6,000 employees, the group recorded revenues of 967 million euros in the fiscal year 2016/2017 and an operating profit (Adj. EBITDA) of 238 million euros. Sivantos' international sales organization supplies hearing care specialists and sales partners in more than 120 countries. Particularly high value is placed on product development.  Sivantos aims to become the market leader in the coming years with its brands Signia, Siemens, Audio Service, Rexton, A&M, HearUSA and audibene. The owners of Sivantos are the anchor investors EQT along with the Strüngmann family as a co-investor.

Sivantos GmbH is a brand license holder of Siemens AG.

More information can be found at www.sivantos.com.