“Hearing speech in noise is the thing.”

 Conversations about hearing — and being heard.

Dr Garfield Davies has spent a lifetime understanding hearing.

A retired Ear, Nose & Throat specialist, Garfield first became connected to our hearing clinic journey in the 1960s, during the early days of the audiology clinic founded by Monty Shulberg.

Decades later, as a patient of Adam’s, he remains part of our story.

In our latest Living Out Loud conversation, Garfield reflects candidly on his own hearing journey: from struggling to hear clearly in lecture halls as a young student, to recognising the growing challenge of speech discrimination and background noise in everyday life.

Noisy environments became increasingly difficult.

“My wife has a soft voice,” he says with a smile, “and she always seemed to speak when the kettle was boiling or the dishwasher was on.”

For Garfield, one of the most important developments in modern hearing care has been the improvement in speech-in-noise technology, helping people hear more clearly in the environments where life actually happens.

“So many people are tested in a quiet room,” he says. “But hearing speech in noise is the important thing.”

Garfield also speaks openly about stigma around hearing aids - and why public attitudes need to evolve.

“There’s nothing wrong with wearing hearing aids,” he says plainly. “Bill Clinton has worn hearing aids for 25 years!”

At one point, after losing a hearing aid while Adam was away, Garfield briefly visited another clinician.

But it didn’t take long before he returned.

“The prodigal son came back,” he laughs.

For us at The Well Being BY CUBEX, stories like Garfield’s mean a great deal.

We deeply value the trust and loyalty of patients who have walked long journeys with us, in some cases, across generations. And we sincerely appreciate the openness and candour of people willing to speak honestly about the emotional and practical realities of hearing loss.

Because these conversations matter.

They help normalise hearing care.

They help others feel less alone.

And they remind us that hearing is ultimately about connection.