01/05/2026
When Eleanor was 18, her world changed.
Sitting in a school assembly, a microphone gave off an ear-piercing squeal â and she didnât react. âEveryone winced and covered their ears, and I just sat there, completely unaware,â she recalls. A hearing test followed, and two hearing aids soon after.
âIt knocked my confidence straight away,â she says. âSocial situations became hard work. My hearing aids would whistle, and I couldnât even hear it. Friends teased me, and I felt like I stood out for all the wrong reasons.â
Eleanorâs hearing loss is genetic â her dad also lives with it. âWatching how he navigated it with quiet strength gave me a model to follow. I just kept going, but living with hearing loss quietly reshaped my life.â
Things came to a head during the pandemic. Isolating in her flat with COVID, Eleanor missed a neighbour knocking and only woke up when loud banging caused vibrations. âShe was standing there with a paramedic, ready to break down the door. It really shook me. I realised how vulnerable I was.â
Work also brought challenges. Eleanor spent years in fast-paced TV production, working on shows like 24 Hours in Police Custody and Ambulance. âIt was rewarding but exhausting. Listening with hearing loss takes so much energy. Youâre always trying to keep up.â
One moment still stings. âI was filming a surgery for the BBC. A nurse was updating me while wearing a mask â I asked three times, but I just couldnât hear. I walked away in tears. I felt so capable, yet so dependent. Even though people were kind, I hated feeling like a burden.â
Eventually, Eleanor knew something had to change. âThat incident with my neighbour really stayed with me. I realised I needed something â or someone â to help me feel safe and less alone.â
Eleanor applied for a hearing dog and in December 2022, while on holiday with her sister she got the news, sheâd been matched with a hearing dog. âSeeing Figâs photo... I just burst into happy tears. Everything felt lighter.â
Eleanor was nervous about meeting her new partner, but it was love at first sight. âThere was an instant connection. She brought this calm with her.â
Fig now transforms Eleanorâs daily life. âShe wakes me every morning, so I no longer worry about oversleeping. I can nap or take my hearing aids out, knowing sheâll alert me to important sounds â like the doorbell. Sheâs given me freedom and control.â
Her emotional world has changed too. âFig brings this deep sense of reassurance. And she connects me to people â when weâre out, people stop to talk. Iâm naturally reserved, but Fig bridges that gap.â
Work is different now too. Eleanor supports start-up founders, often working from home or co-working spaces. âFig brings calm, companionship, and connection wherever we go.â
And the biggest surprise? âThe companionship. Iâve lived alone for years, and now Iâm never really alone. She knows what I need before I do.â
Figâs personality matches her impact. âSheâs cheeky, affectionate and sociable â a total little monkey. Honestly, sheâs taken over my personality, and I love it!â
Today, Eleanor feels more confident, secure and happy than ever. And itâs thanks not just to Fig, but the people who helped shape her.
âTo the amazing volunteers who helped raise and train Fig â thank you from the bottom of my heart. Youâve given me safety, confidence and joy. Just pure joy. I honestly canât imagine life without her.â