Transcript of
Hearing loss: Millie's story
(striptease music)
Burlesque is striptease.
It's very glamorous over-the-top stage shows.
When I was about two years old I couldn't really hear anything.
My parents picked up on it first because I didn't really talk
and didn't make noises as a toddler should.
I ended up having three operations,
so that was quite a vast improvement
which sadly has deteriorated over time.
I think, if anything, my hearing has made me a better performer
because I work harder into the routines
and I really try and memorise my music so I know when beats are coming up.
So I know, if I need to do a big flourish, that's the point to do it at
because I know exactly what the track's going to do next.
With burlesque my hearing hasn't been so much of an issue
as with other jobs I've had, say shop work or bar work,
where I've got orders wrong
or I've not been able to hear someone asking me a question
and they think I'm ignoring them.
I think it's been quite a positive thing in my life
because it has been very good for my confidence.
I've always had low self-esteem growing up because I couldn't really hear
and people thought I was a bit odd.
But I think through performing I've managed to grow as a person
and get to a point in my life that I wanted to be at.