

Ed Cohen
“I was constantly having to ask people to repeat themselves.”
Photo: Anne Fishbein
Like many people in his generation, Ed Cohen played in a band. He went to a lot of rock concerts. And the music was LOUD.
“The drums and the bass amp were right behind me,” he reflects. He lost the hearing in one ear pretty early in his life.
But more recently, the hearing in his other ear started to go. “It was about a year and a half ago,” he says, “and at the time I was living on nothing but Social Security. I was constantly having to ask people to repeat themselves. You know, it annoys the dickens out of people.”
It also affected his work, because Ed is still in the music business as a manager. “Especially in the music business,” he says, “you’re constantly out there listening to things. I couldn’t hear. And I can’t critique if I’m not hearing.”
At this point Ed had been a Lion for about 10 years and was a member of the Palmdale Lions Club, where he’s now First Vice President. “I had no idea at all about the foundation,” he says. “I had no idea they did anything about hearing.”
But he mentioned his problem to his Past District Governor, Wayne Hoffmeyer, who told him about LSH.
“You guys were absolutely amazing and so gracious,” he says. He went to be tested and within a couple of weeks, he had his hearing aids.
“The fitting was terrific. It was nothing but a superb experience. And lo and behold, I can hear again.”