Anthea Owen

Chair of Trustees

Anthea has been Chair of Trustees for Open Ears since 2021. This is what she says about herself and her involvement with Open Ears. ‘I live in Leicester, UK with my husband, Steve and the eldest of our four daughters, Emily, who was deafened at the age of 21 following surgery for a rare neurological disorder. Our need to find a way to communicate in a fulfilling and meaningful way took us on a new and, often frustrating, journey. We started to learn sign language; now, 20+ years later, I am far from proficient!

We are fortunate in that Emily lip-reads well, so we don’t generally use signing at home, and she benefits from an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) which gives her some awareness of environmental sounds and the rhythm of speech. Living with a loved one with profound hearing loss has made me very aware of the struggles this brings, the sense of isolation and uselessness that can be felt, and, at times, the feelings of loss of oneself as a different way of ‘being’ is enforced.

When I was introduced to Open Ears, I was immediately struck by the warmth, positivity and understanding of all involved. These were people who really ‘got it’! It has been a joy and privilege to work alongside others who love both Jesus and people with hearing loss, and it is my desire that more and more people will join the Open Ears family.”