A HEARING practice has made a real difference to a deaf man's life by helping him to hold down a job in the city.

Lee Stickings works in a busy finance office even though he is severely deaf and has been since birth. He says his career is thanks to the help of the Hearing Healthcare Practice (HHP), in Harpenden, coupled with his skills in lip-reading.

The St Albans and Harpenden Review has teamed up HHP to raise awareness of the problems deaf people face in everyday life.

And to kick off a series of articles, we spoke to Lee, who has defied all the odds to forge a career in a busy office despite his problems.

The 28-year-old, who works in the office of a high street fashion business, says the practice has helped his recent career progression.

Lee went to HHP for help in 2001 after years of putting up with unsatisfactory hearing aids from other specialists.

He said: "I have travelled a tough road. But being deaf does not have to hold you back in career development, or achieving all the things that anyone with normal hearing has access to."

Lee's battle with deafness has taken him on an emotional roller coaster, including using aggression as a defence mechanism.

Like many deaf people, his biggest fear was that friends or colleagues would think he was stupid when he failed to respond appropriately to their questions.

His girlfriend has helped him accept his disability, and overcome the resentment and bitterness that deaf people often feel.

A spokesman for the practice said: "Despite the severity of his hearing loss, Lee's speech is absolutely superb.

"At times when talking to him you find yourself amazed at how well he copes.

"His story is an inspirational one as he has fought to ensure that his hearing loss has not held him back or disadvantaged him in any way."