Louisville Boy First in U.S. to Receive New Cochlear Implant
For much of his young life, DuJuan Broadus didn’t realize he was missing anything until the world suddenly became louder, fuller, and more vibrant than he ever imagined.
At 11 years old, DuJuan heard the birds outside his window chirp so loudly it startled him. Cicadas buzzed in the trees near his grandmother’s house in Georgetown, Kentucky, almost unbearably so. For the first time, he heard the world in its richness, every layered sound, from the sharp snap of a stapler to the low hum of a motorcycle, finally reaching his ears.
Unknowingly living with profound hearing loss for years, DuJuan had adapted in ways no one realized. He taught himself to read lips, turning his head to catch his mother’s reflection in the rearview mirror just to understand her.
When he was younger, he called motorcycles “Michael,” a hint of a deeper issue that wasn’t caught in his first hearing test. His speech improved through therapy, and his intelligence masked the severity of the problem.
It wasn’t until a fourth-grade teacher noticed something was off that DuJuan was tested again, and this time, the hearing loss was undeniable.
The diagnosis came with urgency and hope. His mother, Letisha Broadus, didn’t wait. With long waitlists in Louisville, she found help at UK HealthCare in Lexington, where doctors implanted the MED-EL FLEX34 cochlear device, the first of its kind in the U.S. and the only one long enough to fit DuJuan’s unusually large cochlea.
The results were extraordinary.
From hearing music more clearly to identifying animals by their sounds, DuJuan’s daily life became a new adventure in listening and learning. He’s preparing to join the choir at Western Middle School for the Arts, with a newly tuned ear that picks up even the bass notes he once missed. The world isn’t just louder, it’s finally complete.
This journey was made possible not only by medical innovation but also by unwavering love and advocacy. His mother’s determination led him to the care he needed. Her guidance ensured that his voice, once muted by silence, could be heard.
DuJuan Broadus’s journey is a reflection of two essential rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. His access to specialized medical care illustrates the right to the highest attainable standard of health, while his mother’s unwavering support embodies the right to family guidance and advocacy outlined in Articles 5 and 18.
With clearer hearing, growing confidence, and the strength of his family behind him, DuJuan’s story shows that when children receive the care and support they need, their potential knows no bounds.
