From silence to sound, Hot Cares helps Claudette hear again

When Hot Cares first met Claudette Stols in January 2026, she was living with a silence most of us can’t imagine — one that was slowly closing in on her confidence, her work, and her future.

At just 40 years old, Claudette was navigating significant hearing loss and constant tinnitus while raising three children and supporting her father at home. Conversations had become exhausting. Meetings at work filled her with anxiety. Even simple daily interactions carried the fear of misunderstanding — or worse, being misunderstood.

“I felt myself withdrawing,” Claudette admits. “It’s hard to explain how isolating it is when you can’t hear properly, and people think you’re not paying attention.”

Medical assessments confirmed that Claudette did not need a basic amplifier — she required proper medical hearing aids. Without them, specialists warned that her hearing would continue to deteriorate, with potential long-term cognitive risks. The cost placed that support completely out of reach.

That’s when Hot Cares stepped in.

Thanks to the generosity of Hot 102.7 listeners, Hot Cares was able to fully fund Claudette’s specialised hearing aids — restoring far more than sound. In the weeks that followed, the change was immediate and profound.

“I can hear my children clearly again,” she says. “I feel confident speaking at work. I’m not scared of conversations anymore.”

With renewed confidence, Claudette has continued her studies in supply chain management and settled into her role in administration with a sense of assurance she hadn’t felt in years.

This wasn’t just about hearing better. It was about dignity, independence, and possibility.

Hot Cares exists for moments like these — when the right support, at the right time, doesn’t just change a situation, but reshapes a future.