Louise explains why she is leaving the BTA a gift in her Will. 
Louise’s Story
I’ve had tinnitus for approximately 14 years. I had a migraine whilst a passenger in a car so had a nap to rest my head but when I woke up, I could hear what I thought was a distant car alarm. In fact, it was the start of my tinnitus journey.
The ringing continued for several weeks, so I assumed I had some kind of ear infection and went to my GP who referred me onto the hospital’s Ear, Nose and Throat department. Here, I was shocked to find out I had congenital, bi-lateral, sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus.
It was life changing news for me, and I didn’t handle it well.
I was prescribed two hearing aids which really helped my hearing problems, but the tinnitus was extremely hard to get a grip on. It was relentless as I was grieving the loss of my hearing but also the loss of silence from having tinnitus. Sleeping was an immense struggle as all I could hear and think about was this constant, annoying noise. I became so negatively focussed on it and the more stressed I got about it, the worse it became.
At the time I was a singer, so music was a massive part of my life and social circle. I found that I was increasingly isolating myself because I just couldn’t do what I had done before.
I felt very alone.
Over time, I have come to accept the situation and have found ways to empower myself to cope with my new way of life. With support from the British Tinnitus Association, friends and family, and a fantastic audiologist, I have learnt how to manage things far better and have reached a place of acceptance.
I have taken the decision recently to include the British Tinnitus Association in my Will. I want to leave a legacy that will continue to support the brilliant work of this amazing charity. I know first-hand the difference their support makes, and I would like others to benefit from the same opportunities and like-minded understanding that I have experienced.
Whether my contribution goes towards support groups, a 24/7 helpline or research projects isn’t important – in fact I want it to go wherever it is best spent.
More information about leaving a gift in your Will
| We are available to answer any questions you may have about leaving a gift in your will to the BTA. Please contact our team on 0114 250 9933 or [email protected]. If you do choose to leave a gift in your will to the BTA you can donate to overall tinnitus support, or dedicate this gift to a specific area of our work, such as the helpline or tinnitus research. |  |
