Three mascots. Three companies. So many sound journeys. At Rady Children’s Hospital, I witnessed something sacred over and over again - the joy of access. The first activation tears. The cautious smiles. The parents holding their breath. The moment a child turns toward a sound for the first time. I’ve worked with all three cochlear implant companies: • Advanced Bionics • Cochlear Americas • MED-EL And here’s what I know: They are not competitors in the way the world likes to frame them. They are options. They are technology. They are access - if a DHH person or family chooses it. Cochlear implants are not the only path. They are not the “fix.” They are not identity. But for many families, they are a tool. A bridge. A doorway into sound. I’ve been talking about cochlear implants a lot this month and I just want to say: Thank you for existing. Thank you for innovation. Thank you for giving families options. Thank you for expanding what access can look like. Access looks differ...