Ed Tippett is doing the Robben Island Freedom Swim to raise awareness for hearing loss in South Africa and hopefully raises funds to help others combat it.
Cape Town, South Africa (14 February 2022) – Ed Tippett knows what it is like to move around this world in silence; he knows the awkward encounters with the hearing world; because of this, he wants to do some good for the deaf and hearing loss community.
Ed has profound hearing loss. He was born three months prematurely, and his hearing was always an issue. He got Cochlear Implants at the age of two and was finally introduced to the hearing world. Ed was introduced to mainstream schooling at grade one, and his integration into the hearing world was a success. However, he always struggled to connect and explain his hearing loss with people who couldn’t relate.
“In the past, I did not know how to explain my deafness to people who had normal hearing. I wasn’t sure of their reaction as there are many misconceptions about loss of hearing. A sufferer of deafness or profound hearing loss might be perceived as ‘deaf and dumb’. This is both hurtful and inaccurate.”
Ed hopes to raise awareness for hearing-impaired individuals and raise funds to help those who cannot afford care get the surgeries and equipment they need to be included in the hearing world. He started an organisation called ‘Moving for Sound’.
Ed’s vision for ‘Moving for Sound’ is to create greater awareness for those with hearing loss. There are many out there that are unable to afford these surgeries, and those who can, are often faced with various ongoing maintenance costs associated with these audio advancements.
“I wish to pay-it-forward, be a person of significance and help wherever possible to impact the lives of others to receive the miracle of hearing.”
‘Moving for Sound’ aims to raise funds for Hear Us with a series of challenges. His next challenge is the Robben Island Freedom Swim.
Hear Us is the Cochlear Implant Association of South Africa. It was founded in 2001 and exists to financially support deaf people from disadvantaged backgrounds to obtain cochlear implants and support the hearing impaired and their families to realise their full potential in the hearing world.
In less than a month, Ed will be attempting his second Robben Island Crossing with three others who all have profound hearing loss. Mark Roach will be joining Ed and attempting his first crossing, and the others will be doing it as a relay team.
You can support Ed and his Swim for Lives via Sport For Lives here. He hopes to raise R100,000.00, which will go towards helping someone in need.
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