Bilateral auricular prostheses, attached using magnets and BAHA on the left

“I was born with Treacher Collins syndrome (a genetic disorder) which for me translated into physical deformities: a cleft palate, no ears and no visible auditory canal, and my lower jaw was not fully developed.

At 6 months old, I had to wear a headband with hearing aids because I was hearing-impaired. During my childhood, I felt rejected by my school friends and part of my family. My father died when I was 8 years old and from then on my mother couldn’t cope with my disorder. I went to an education centre for hearing-impaired children from the age of 8 to 16 where I learned lip reading and sign language so that I could communicate.

In 2010 (when I was 25), my jaw was successfully reconstructed with a chin graft which helped me breathe much better as well.

It was only in 2015 that I was informed that I could be transformed into what I would call a normal person physically, with the aid of auricular prostheses. The implants were fitted in Besançon at the same time as the implant for the bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) in July by Prof Tavernier’s team, and then 4 months and 3 consultations later with Anne-Marie Riedinger in 2015, I finally had ears. Since then, I am no longer afraid of people looking at me, I wear earrings and I feel far more feminine. At the same time, the BAHA has significantly improved my hearing. I am the mother of 3 children who have been spared this disorder, I am married and happy with everything that has been accomplished to make my life better. For that I would like to thank my surgeons and especially my anaplastologist with all my heart.”