Cochlear Americas Presents $10,000 Donation

OMAHA, NE - June 25, 2004 - Cochlear Americas, manufacturer of the Cochlear Nucleus® line of cochlear implants, presented a $10,000 donation to the SHHH National Center of Hearing Assistive Technology (NCHAT). Donna Sorkin, Vice President, Consumer Affairs, Cochlear Americas, former Executive Director of SHHH and Nucleus cochlear implant recipient for more than 10 years, presented the donation during her opening remarks at the SHHH International Convention, June 10-13 in Omaha, NE. Sorkin serves on the Center's advisory board.

"Cochlear Americas is committed to supporting the important work of the technology center with funds and technical expertise," said Sorkin. "Like all of you, Cochlear understands that we can't reverse hearing loss. But we can work to provide people of all ages with the best technology and the most advanced solutions for achieving linkage between our cochlear implant and other technologies, such as telephones and assistive listening devices."

The center serves as a technology resource for people with hearing loss, their families, professionals, educators, and industry and government representatives.
SHHH and Cochlear are collaborating on hearing health issues including full access to cochlear implants for candidates covered by private health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.

About Self Help For Hard of Hearing People
Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) is the largest nonprofit consumer organization in the United States representing the 28 million (one in ten) people with hearing loss. Our mission is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy. SHHH provides adults and children with tools for self help; sensitizes the general population about the special needs of people who are hard of hearing and promotes understanding of the nature, causes, complications, and remedies of hearing loss. For additional information on SHHH, please visit the Web site at www.hearingloss.org.

About Cochlear Americas
For more than 20 years, Cochlear Limited and its US headquarters, Cochlear Americas, have been focused on bringing the miracle of sound to those individuals who live in silence. To date, more than 50,000 profoundly deaf individuals have benefited from Cochlear's Nucleus® line of cochlear implants. The Company's promise of Hear Now. And Always. exemplifies its commitment to advancing hearing technology and customer support, which has resulted in numerous awards including the 2001 Medical Design Excellence Award for its design of the Cochlear Nucleus® 24 Contour® cochlear implant and the FDA Commissioner's Special Citation for the development and commercialization of the Cochlear Nucleus® 24 Multichannel Auditory Brainstem implant. For more information about Cochlear's products, call the Cochlear Nucleus® Hotline at 800/458-4999 (Voice) or 800/483-3123 (TTY) or visit the Web site at www.cochlear.com.