ATLANTA — An 11-year-old Georgia dancer is experiencing sounds she could barely hear before after receiving a new hearing device following years of hearing loss and multiple surgeries.
Sarah Smith, a competitive dancer, has struggled with hearing problems for much of her life, undergoing more than six surgeries in an effort to improve her hearing.
As a child, Sarah experienced frequent ear infections, including one that severely damaged her eardrums.
She underwent several reconstructive ear surgeries, but the improvements did not last, and her hearing continued to decline.
Her parents eventually turned to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to explore a bone-anchored hearing device.
This browser does not support the video element.
In June 2026, just days after participating in a national dance competition, Sarah underwent surgery for the device at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
A few months later, the device was activated, allowing Sarah to experience sounds she previously struggled to hear.
“Wow.. It sounds cool,” Sarah said when the device was turned on.
This browser does not support the video element.
Her mother, Jenna Smith, says the change has made a difference in her daughter’s everyday life and her ability to continue dancing.
“She didn’t even realize putting on her shoe made a sound,” Smith said. “And now she can do all the flips she wants, dance her heart out and still hear everything around her.”
Sarah’s story comes during October’s Hearing Loss Awareness Month, highlighting her experience with hearing loss and her return to competitive dancing with the help of her new device.