Gianna

Meet Gianna

Gianna is one year old, and the world is full of sounds she is just beginning to discover. She was born with bilateral atresia and microtia — a condition where the ear canals did not form — meaning sound could not reach her the way it does for most babies. But Gianna has something special working in her favour: perfectly functioning inner ears, just waiting to be reached.

When Gianna trialled a bone-anchored hearing aid, something remarkable happened. Sound travels through bone directly to the inner ear, bypassing the missing ear canals entirely — and Gianna responded. She turned her head. She startled at a voice. She listened. Her family watched with tears in their eyes.

Bone-anchored hearing aids are not covered by Manitoba Health, and the cost is significant for families. With support, Gianna now has her very own device — giving her access to the sounds all around her, and the chance to reach the speech, language, and developmental milestones every child deserves.

Her family is overjoyed at the possibilities ahead. And Gianna? She’s busy listening to every single one of them.