Aidan Douglas: Becoming deaf at 18 and discovering the deaf sporting community last year!

I am from Sunderland in the UK and I have lived here all my life. My current profession is a Bridges and Structures Technician for Sunderland City Council which I have done since I was an apprentice after my illness.

I ended up getting Bacterial Meningitis 8-9 years ago when I was 18 just out of the blue, with no reason behind it. After two days of the illness I lost my hearing completely and was rushed to hospital. The doctors advised us that my hearing wouldn’t be coming back and suggested the use of a cochlear implant which I wear now.

I lived at home with my Mam at the time and I know she found it quite difficult to get to grips with it all but by the end of her time she was fully used to it and glad that I had the procedure done.

My hearing with the cochlear was at the point for me where I didn’t feel like it had changed that much unless I was in noisy situations. My ability to hear and focus gradually got better but as the years go on the more I realise I need to be face to face with someone to have a proper conversation.

When I became deaf due to meningitis I was only actually without sound for around 2-3 weeks as I had the cochlear implant fitted. Obviously when it is off I cant hear anything but the transition was fairly smooth as I was in and out of hospital a lot so the time flew over quickly.

The main issue I found when recovering was the after effects on my body; my balance was so bad I had to link arms with someone to get around and my vision is still slightly impaired so I cant concentrate on certain things if they move too quickly.

2021 was actually the first time I had met anyone else that was deaf/hard of hearing so I was a little taken back. It was at a golf event organised by England Deaf Golf. I didn’t know any British Sign Language or how to communicate properly so I was nervous, but everyone was very welcoming and probably the nicest set of people you could have met for the first time. It definitely made things easier for me.

I always enjoyed sports throughout school and gravitated towards football the most through my Dad also playing. I played for the local County team and progressed to certain Professional clubs but that all had to stop when I fell ill with the meningitis.

My balance was gone, vision and hearing and then I also had the magnets from the Cochlear Implant Surgery in my head so it wasn’t a case of me not wanting to play Football anymore, I just couldn’t physically do it, and I am nowhere near the standard I was at. This would have been the most frustrating thing about it as I am generally quite competitive.

My dad and best mate are the ones who encouraged me to give golf a try. I had nothing else I could do sports wise – it was limited – but my Dad played golf so I used to join him for a daft round now and again, but nothing serious.

And then one of my girlfriends sisters partners also played golf and we eventually joined a club almost 3 years ago now. The doctors said that uneven ground can help my brain figure out how to balance myself properly so it was also a health benefit as well as another sport I could dig into.

The first golf event for England Deaf Golf I went to was Hollins Hall in 2021 and like I said before everyone was welcoming and friendly towards me so it made me feel at ease. I certainly felt like I belonged there with everyone being similar to me, and again it was the first time I had ever met anyone else who was deaf/hard of hearing so it was good.

I was also referred to Tees Deaf Golf society by the secretary of England Deaf Golf and played my first event in my local area just last weekend, which I actually managed to take a 1st place in the mens gross competition!

As a golfer who is deaf I find it a bit easier to concentrate, as there are so many things going on in my head such as Tinnitus or things like that so I get used to blocking it out and being able to focus.

Working with my balance is probably my biggest challenge in golf as being off balance can affect how the ball comes out if the weight isn’t distributed correctly so its making the shots a little bit inconsistent. It tends to be a little worse without my cochlear implant on so the plan is to play more golf without it, and let my brain try and navigate the uneven surfaces as best as possible.

Nowadays in life I just take things as they come. Overcoming the illness wasn’t as bad as it seemed – I was still alive and it could have been a lot worse. Having supportive friends and family around me definitely helped me to stay positive in the rough times.

I’m actually due to be a Dad in early September so that is the next chapter of my life, being a supportive partner and Father will probably be the top priority. I am also focusing on going to the World Deaf Golf Championships in Hawaii later this year!

I like to stay competitive and I will do the best I can for the England Deaf Golf team. I’ll continue to play golf in as many events as possible and just enjoy it, thats the main thing for me, no expectations just taking things as they come.

My final words of advice for anyone reading this are, ‘Go for it and don’t look back, you don’t know what doors can open if you don’t try. Things will always get better.’

Aidan is a member of England Deaf Golf. You can find out more about them here:
https://www.england-deaf-golf.com/