Every year, the Gift of Hearing giveaway brings our community together in a powerful way.  

Through heartfelt nominations, families and friends share stories of resilience, love and hope, nominating someone special for a life-changing opportunity: a complimentary hearing evaluation and free hearing aids.  

This initiative is a celebration of the bonds that unite us and a reminder of the difference we can make when we lift each other up. Each year, it’s so hard to find just one winner, thanks to the hundreds of heartfelt nominations we receive! 

This year, we are honoured to introduce our Gift of Hearing 2025 winner: Adnan Arfeen. His story, as told by his loving wife and children, is a testament to the enduring strength of family and the transformative power of compassion. 

A Family’s Love: Adnan’s Journey Through Hearing Loss 

Adnan’s journey began with a vibrant life filled with laughter, social gatherings and a thriving career in the aviation industry.  

His wife, Saima, remembers him as “a confident and social person” who “enjoyed going out with friends, spending time with family, hosting dinners and overall maintaining a large social circle.”  

His career demanded excellent hearing, a standard he maintained with pride for many years. 

However, life took an unexpected turn when Adnan began to lose his hearing. What started as a hope for temporary hearing loss quickly turned into “countless visits with doctors and hearing specialists in hopes of getting answers.”  

As his hearing declined, so did his confidence, social life and career opportunities.  

Saima’s words capture the gravity of this change: 

“His hearing loss has significantly impacted his career, social circle and most importantly, his confidence. He is no longer able to continue his career in the aviation industry due to his health standards, and this has significantly impacted our finances with loans to pay and our income being significantly reduced.” 

The Ripple Effect: Impact on Family and Social Life 

The effects of Adnan’s hearing loss extended beyond his own experiences. His family watched as the man they knew, a pillar of strength and positivity, began to withdraw.  

Saima shared, “I want my husband to feel confident and be able to keep the social life we started our marriage with. The gift of hearing giveaway would mean everything for my family so that we can enjoy family dinners and game nights, not shy away from going out and continue to see my husband as the strong person I know he is.” 

Their daughter, Rumesa, echoes these sentiments. She recalls the subtle yet profound ways hearing loss changed their interactions: 

“When I was young, our conversations started off with me seeing his face while speaking to him on the phone, but as his hearing started to be more severely impacted, his phone would be up to his ear so he could hear better.” 

While this change sounds minor, Rumesa said that it had a major impact on her conversations with her father, as she couldn’t see his reactions for big moments in her life that she wanted to share with him. 

After Adnan returned home to live with his family full-time, Rumesa noticed a shift in his demeanour. The confident, outspoken father she knew became quieter and more reserved.  

“Our family was always one to meet up with friends and family every weekend, but we now started avoiding it so that my dad could feel more comfortable,” she noted. 

A Father’s Strength and the Desire for Connection 

Adnan’s children saw firsthand how hearing loss affected their father’s spirit.  

His second child, Isbah, shared, “My dad was never one to worry about his financial and social situation, even when times were rough. He always said that time will heal. So to grow up seeing him as such a forward-looking person, and then to watch his impaired hearing be the largest obstacle in his positive view of life, has had a large impact on my family.” 

Isbah’s heartfelt nomination continued to share that she wanted her father to explain her homework to her, connect with others and “have conversations with me without his hearing frustrating him.” 

Restoring Confidence, Joy and Family Moments 

The Gift of Hearing is an opportunity for Adnan and his family to reclaim cherished moments and rebuild connections that had been strained by silence.  

The nominations from Saima, Rumesa and Isbah are filled with hope and gratitude, highlighting the importance of togetherness and the deep impact that hearing has on every aspect of life. 

Rumesa beautifully sums up the family’s wishes: “I would like my dad to be the recipient of the giveaway so that we can continue to see him be happy and positive without feeling the need to isolate.” 

Thanks to his family’s heartfelt nominations, we knew that Adnan was our winner. 

Gratitude and the Power of Community 

Adnan’s story is a reminder of why the Gift of Hearing exists: to bring hope, restore confidence and foster meaningful connections. 

This annual giveaway is made possible by the love of families, the support of our community and the belief that everyone deserves the chance to hear the world around them. 

After being fitted with his devices, Adnan had this to say: “Treva, I am so grateful to you and your team that I have no words to express. All I can say in a short, small sentence is, ‘I am back to life.’ My family is so happy you cannot imagine. I used to avoid meeting people before but not anymore. Thank you!” 

We are deeply grateful to the Arfeen family for sharing their journey and to everyone who participates in the Gift of Hearing giveaway. Together, we can continue to change lives, one story, one family and one neighbour at a time. 

If you know someone whose life could be transformed by the Gift of Hearing, we invite you to share Adnan’s story. Together, let’s keep the spirit of community, compassion and connection alive!