Bill Gibson (Pioneering Bionic Ear Surgeon)

During his distinguished career as an ear, nose and throat surgeon, Professor Bill Gibson gained a reputation as a world-expert in Ménière’s disease and cochlear implant surgery. In 1984, he restored the hearing of two young women who were some of the first to receive the bionic ear, developed by Professor Graeme Clark and his team in Melbourne. Three years later Gibson operated on four-year-old Holly McDonell, the first child in the world to receive the bionic ear. This bold step enabled children around the world to receive the gift of hearing and speech. During the next few decades, Gibson performed more than 2,000 cochlear implant operations, making him one of the most prolific surgeons in his field.