December 14th 2024.
Tasha Ghouri has captured the hearts of the nation with her stunning performances on the hit show, Strictly Come Dancing 2024. Alongside her partner Aljaž Škorjanec, the former Love Island contestant, 26, has consistently topped the leaderboard and moved audiences to tears with her emotional routines throughout the series. Now, she has secured a spot in the highly anticipated final, competing against comedian Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, and JLS member JB Gill and Lauren Oakley.
While Tasha's exceptional dancing skills have been the talk of the town, she has also made history as the first-ever deaf contestant on Strictly. She follows in the footsteps of Rose Ayling-Ellis, who took home the glitterball trophy in 2021. Tasha's cochlear implant, which many may have seen before in her ASOS modelling campaign, has been a significant part of her journey on the show. But what exactly is a cochlear implant and how does it work?
A cochlear implant is a sophisticated electronic device that assists with hearing. According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, this implant provides a sense of hearing for individuals with severe to profound deafness. Unlike a hearing aid, which simply amplifies sound, a cochlear implant uses electrical signals to stimulate the auditory nerve directly. The device consists of an external part, which includes a microphone and transmitter, and an internal part, which is surgically implanted under the skin.
The internal part of the implant involves placing electrodes on the cochlea, a spiral-shaped hollow bone in the inner ear. This bone is essential for hearing as it is filled with fluid and picks up vibrations. These vibrations are then translated into electrical signals by hair cells in the cochlea and transmitted to nerve cells, the auditory nerve, and finally, the brain. The cochlear implant mimics this process by picking up sound through a microphone and converting it into electrical signals that are sent to the auditory nerve via the electrodes.
As Tasha heads into the Strictly Come Dancing final, she has taken the time to educate her fans on the inner workings of her cochlear implant, which she has received many questions about. She explains that a cochlear implant is vastly different from a hearing aid, which is a three-part system that amplifies sound. Her implant, on the other hand, is surgically implanted and much more advanced, designed specifically for individuals who are either fully deaf or have very little hearing. Tasha, who was born completely deaf, shares that her surgery did not fix her ears, so she cannot hear through them. Instead, she hears through her implant, which has a microphone and transmitter attached to her head.
Tasha's implant also has a strong magnet, which activates the cochlear implant when it connects with a coil inside. This process triggers the cochlea nerve and sends signals to her brain, allowing her to hear. While the sounds she hears may not be exactly the same as natural hearing, Tasha explains that her audiologist can tune the implant to adjust the pitch and volume. She also mentions that she primarily hears through her right side, as she has difficulty hearing from her left due to the placement of the implant.
When it comes to music, Tasha feels the songs through the vibrations in her body, particularly the drums and bass. She also discusses some of the downsides of having a cochlear implant, including fatigue from lip-reading all day, difficulty with background noise, and sensory overload, which can lead to frequent headaches.
It's essential to note that not everyone who is deaf or hard of hearing is a candidate for a cochlear implant. The NHS offers various hearing implants, depending on the cause of deafness, including auditory brainstem implants and middle ear implants. Some individuals may also opt for communication methods such as British Sign Language instead of using an implant or hearing aid.
Tasha's cochlear implant has been a part of her life since she received it at the age of five. She has previously shared that she has sensory loss, which means the tiny hairs in her cochlea were missing and damaged from birth. It has taken her many years to adjust to the implant, but her brain has adapted to it over time. As she heads into the Strictly Come Dancing final, Tasha hopes to inspire others with her journey and continue to break barriers for the deaf community.
The final four pairs competing in the Strictly Come Dancing final are comedian Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell, former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, and JLS member JB Gill and Lauren Oakley. The highly anticipated final will air live on BBC One on Saturday, December 14, at 6pm.
If you're interested in learning more about Tasha's cochlear implant journey, she has shared videos on her social media, where she discusses her experiences and challenges. As she continues to make waves on Strictly and beyond, Tasha is determined to use her platform to raise awareness and educate others about the deaf community.
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