“When I was 18 I found out that I had a hereditary, progressive hearing loss. I was told that I would never be able to fulfill my dreams of becoming an opera singer, but I refused to accept this ‘deaf’ sentence.
“Despite being profoundly deaf, I’ve had a successful 30-year career as a soloist – captivating audiences, receiving standing ovations and winning prestigious awards.”
https://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/get-involved/deaf-awareness-week.aspx