Six generations ago, Andrea’s ancestors met at a deaf school and married each other. Andrea inherited a progressive form of sensorineural hearing loss and starting using hearing aids in college. Now a mother to two small children, she used to worry at night that she wouldn’t hear them if they woke up. “My life was pretty secluded and tough before I got the implant. I found myself staying home a lot and not going to social events, " she says. With the Esteem implant, Andrea feels like a better parent and has a new confidence that enabled her to run for Mrs. Nebraska and Mrs. America.