Elaine Mukaaya is a Ugandan 17-year-old girl who was diagnosed with severe hearing loss at an early age. She is the first child to wear bilateral cochlear implants in Uganda. In 2017, Elaine and her dad attended the World Health Organisation to raise awareness about the need to improve hearing health worldwide. In this episode, we’ll be talking about Elaine’s experience at the WHO and the challenges faced by people with hearing loss in Uganda.

Connect with Qais
Instagram: @connectwithqais
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaiskhan/
Website: www.connectwithqais.com

Bowen Tang is an educator with a lived experience of hearing loss, being a bilateral cochlear implant recipient, who believes in the value of connection and power of community. An international activist, he strives to bring together deaf and hard of hearing people to help them acquire the skills to reach their full potential. He is passionate about raising awareness on accessibility and inclusion by working with local and global organisations to transform society's mindset towards people with hearing loss. In this episode, we will be exploring what it means to be hard of hearing. 

Connect with Qais
Instagram: @connectwithqais
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaiskhan/
Website: www.connectwithqais.com

Stuart McNaughton is a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and founder of The Cochlear Implant Coach, a service dedicated to supporting adults and families across a wide range of deaf issues. As a cochlear implant user himself, Stuart is able to draw on psychological principles and his own lived experience.

Stuart is also the author of a book, He Is Not Me, which is an account of a childhood with deafness and his experiences in the run up to – and after – cochlear implantation.

Connect with Stuart McNaughton
Instagram:  @TheCochlearImplantCoach  
Website: www.thecochlearimplantcoach.com

Connect with Qais
Instagram: @connectwithqais
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaiskhan/
Website: www.connectwithqais.com

In this very first episode, join us as we sit down with Jess Hissam, an Executive Director at the Center for Advancement of NEXTGEN Deaf, and a vibrant content creator on Instagram and TikTok (@jess.hsquared).

Jess was born deaf and wears bilateral cochlear implants to access the hearing world and communicate with others around her. She loves sharing her story of her deaf journey, discovering her deaf identity as a cochlear implant user, and narrating her everyday experiences as a deaf woman. Her aim is to offer a perspective of her deaf community and empower families navigating the hardships of deafness within their households. 

In this episode, this conversation seeks to explore Jess's hearing loss journey and discuss how important deaf representation is. 

Connect with Qais
Instagram: @connectwithqais
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaiskhan/
Website: www.connectwithqais.com

Welcome to ‘Connect with Qais’, a podcast where we explore the often-overlooked challenges and exciting possibilities of living with hearing loss. 

Qais has presented at the United Nations, WHO, and House of Commons sharing his life experiences his advocacy work about hearing loss and deafness.

Qais shares his personal journey while inviting guests to explore the challenges and triumphs faced by the deaf and hard of hearing community. From revealing the impact on careers, relationships, and mental health to discussing cutting edge hearing technologies, each episode aims to foster inclusivity and raise awareness. 

Connect with Qais
Instagram: @connectwithqais
Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaiskhan/
Website: www.connectwithqais.com