“Ultimately, what helped was knowing there are people just like her out there.”  - Theresa McCorkell

Cierra McCorkell received her first Ponto Bone Anchored Hearing System in 2012 when she was in 6th grade, after her hearing loss had progressed. She began wearing a Ponto Pro on a headband, and continued with the headband until she was in high school. When discussing the possibility of surgery, she found the decision overwhelming, and surgery was a frightening thought. 

Name: Cierra McCorkell
Indication: Bilateral hearing loss, microtia and atresia on the left side

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Managing hearing loss and finding a community 

“Just the word alone made her afraid. I have always let her choose for herself when she is ready to do something so this decision was solely on her.” - Theresa McCorkell

While exploring bone anchored hearing blogs and online Facebook communities like this one, Cierra’s mother found the blog of a Ponto advocate who talked about her recent surgery to have her abutment placed. Theresa had commented that her daughter was afraid of the surgery and through these online conversations, they were able to meet other Ponto users and learn about the abutment procedure.

 

Overcoming a fear of surgery

“She had never met anyone like her. She saw other children and adults who were doing great with the surgery and that helped her alot.” - Theresa McCorkell 

It was through personal stories from fellow Ponto users that Cierra learned first hand about the Minimally Invasive Ponto Surgery (MIPS) procedure. Through their stories of improved hearing and positive experiences with the MIPS procedure, she made the decision to move forward with  abutment surgery. 

On September 1, 2017, Cierra was implanted using the MIPS procedure. Her mother comments that the surgery was less than an hour and without complications. Four months after her abutment was placed, Cierra was finally able to snap on her Ponto Pro, which her mother captured in the video above.