Mackenzie Arnold Inspires Athletes to Rise Above Hearing Loss

Other athletes with hearing loss have shown Mackenzie Arnold an outpouring of support and hope since she shared the day she received her hearing aid with the public.

Breanna Doncovski, who qualified for the Australian Women's Deaf Football team, says she found inspiration in Mackenzie’s story. After Doncovski’s team missed an opportunity to compete in their league’s equivalent of the World Cup, she now hopes that Arnold’s story about hearing loss will give Deaf teams more exposure and assist in fundraising efforts.

David Brady, who chairs Deafness Forum Australia and competed in Deaf and mainstream sports himself, said that Arnold's participation in the World Cup demonstrates that pathways to the top of mainstream sports are possible. "Sport is a great leveler in terms of opening conversations with people about deafness," he said. "You do not have to let your hearing loss hold you back."

See more about how Arnold is shedding light on hearing loss for rising athletes in the full article

At only 29 years old, Arnold isn’t what most people think of as a typical hearing aid user. However, hearing aid use is trending among younger generations. Both device manufacturers and medical experts say the number of young adults who need or use hearing aids is growing. Leading prescription hearing aid manufacturer Phonak says the number of Americans between ages 22 and 54 fitted for its hearing aids increased by 14 percent more than users of all other ages between 2017 and 2021.

Advancements in hearing aid technology also appeal to younger users. For example, features like Bluetooth compatibility make them easier to use and more attractive to more tech savvy generations.