11 hours Ago
An 11-year-old girl from Swindon is learning to hear again after she underwent life-changing surgery to help her deafness. Eloise Tompkinson, from Abbey Farm, was born with "moderate hearing issues" before losing her hearing rapidly in 2024. On March 26, 2025, Eloise spent five hours in Basingstoke Hospital and had surgery to have cochlear implants.
The implants are made to support the hearing of deaf people - although they do not allow osmogene to miraculously hear again, it goes a long way in supporting them. (Image: Joe Tompkinson) Recommended reading Joe and Claire Tompkinson, the parents of Eloise explained the journey that their daughter had to go on. They said: "Eloise was born with a slight impairment and had to wear hearing aids for her whole life growing up.
"She has annual checks, and in February 2024, they noticed that there was a small decline in Eloise's hearing. "We went back in September, and she had lost 40% of her hearing, which meant she was having tests and checks and by that point, her hearing was declining. (Image: Joe Tompkinson) "Eloise was then referred to have implants and had to be assessed for eligibility, which thankfully, by early 2025, she was eligible.
"On March 26, she had the surgery but the implants were not switched on until Tuesday (April 22) - Eloise is now fully recovered from the surgery and is adjusting to hearing differently." In a video, Eloise can be seen reacting to the implants being turned on, with a big smile on her face she described the sounds as "robotic". Eloise is now getting used to how differently things sound through the implants, like her footsteps, as her brain had to relearn what things sound like.
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The parents spoke about how it has been as parents of deaf children, they said: "Initially it knocked us for six, we have never looked at it like “why us?” but we have always been worried about their future. "We have had great support from Red Oaks School who have specialist provision to help the children with those kind of needs - they have been fantastic. Red Oaks School posted a video in support of Eloise and her recovery.
It can be seen here: Miss you. Get well soon Eloise. "We dreaded the surgeries, but we have had to walk this path, and the wait has been agonising.
"We asked George about whether we should have got him the implants and he said they should have done, so there is no regret there as we know the implants are a controversial subject in the deaf community. "We have always wanted to be able to give them the chance of having the best options. It is difficult when you are used to hearing and you must learn a different way to communicate.
(Image: Joe Tompkinson) “We are like every other family, we have the school runs, and the chaos. It was only the surgery that we ever felt worried about because we were putting our kids’ lives into someone else’s hands. “We have to look through a different lens and they are so resilient - their deafness will never define them.
” Both Eloise and George are able to communicate via British Sign Language (BSL) and have become skilled lip readers. The whole family also thank the Audiology department at Great Western Hospital, who have helped support them. Eloise described her new sense of hearing when the implants were switched on, she said: "It was really fun when they were switched on and made me feel really happy.
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