Celebrating International CI Day & CIICA’s 5th Birthday!

Hearing Matters Whatever Your Age!

EURO-CIU began International CI Day in 2009 to commemorate the first CI on February 25, 1957 in France. Since 2009, this day has been celebrated all over the world, raising awareness about the life-changing impact of cochlear implants for individuals with severe to profound hearing loss. On International Cochlear Implant Day 2026, we recognise the life-changing impact of cochlear implants worldwide. Access to hearing care is access to connection, education, and opportunity. CIICA remains committed to advancing equitable access, informed choice, and lifelong cochlear implant care worldwide.

It’s also CIICA’s fifth birthday!

Reflecting on the past year, one thing is clear, the global CI community is stronger, more connected and more active than ever. We now have over 700 individual members across 76 countries worldwide.

This year, we are celebrating by launching our report “Adult Hearing Screening: Why Wait?” Download and share this much needed review of this topic.

If this was picked up sooner, there would be such an improvement to people’s quality of life. I know of so many people who clearly have got hearing loss but won’t ask their GP for a referral. If screening was available many of these people would attend, as it would be seen as something that everyone is offered. Hearing loss at any level causes such upset and depression in people and their families. Once diagnosed it gives a person a chance to come to terms with wearing aids and meeting others in a similar situation. I found it takes a long time to admit deafness and be open about it. An adult with hearing loss, Quoted in Lamb & Archbold 2016).

Also introducing our new project: Parents’ Voices in Low & Middle Income Countries : so far 67 parents’ stories from 16 countries.

Launch of Living Guidelines

Many of you were involved in the development of the Living Guidelines for CI for adults, ensuring that the user perspective was included. The Living Guidelines  has now been published and can be found in detail at http://Improving the standard of care for adults with hearing loss and the role of cochlear implantation: Living Guidelines

The Chair of CIICA, Leo De Raeve, was Co Chair of the Task Force, and CIICA was closely involved in their development, with CI users commenting and influencing the content.

The aim of the project was to develop guidelines on good standards in the field of cochlear implantation for adults, so that each country can adapt these guidelines to its own needs in order to optimize cochlear implant care for adults. The Living Guidelines will be regularly updated according to new scientific knowledge and experiences and the new version is Version 3. 

CIICA’s summary guide to the Living Guidelines can be found at: https://ciicanet.org/resources/ciicas-summary-of-the-living-guidelines-for-adult-ci/

This provides a resource and information about its use for advocacy in your country. 

CIICA AT HEAL: HEARING ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

CIICA, represented by Sue Archbold, Brian Lamb and Darja Pajk, shared their advocacy activities at the 2024 HEAL conference hosted by Professor Grandori. CIICA had a stand where their resources were shared and presented on Global Health Networks, their report, CI Services Matter, and Young Adults with CI Matter – and met lots of colleagues and friends.