The rain is thundering down on the metal roof with a never ending throng of noise, and the air conditioner whirs away in the background making it next to impossible for the loud clanging of the alarm clock to seep into my consciousness.
Once again I am late for an appointment because I didn’t hear my alarm going off. Being hearing impaired comes with
many things that are frustrating for the one with the loss and for those who live with them.
Things like being woken by an alarm clock, catching all that is being said when there is other noise, being exhausted at the end of a conversation due to the effort it takes to hear and understand, having to ask people to repeat what they said over and over, just to name a few.
Even as wonderful as technology is with advancements that have been made in hearing aids, there is still NOTHING like real hearing.
Statistics show that 8.8% of Filipino’s have some sort of debilitating hearing loss, 1/1000 babies is born with congenital disabling hearing loss, and 50% of the causes of hearing loss are PREVENTABLE! These figures are staggering and something has to be done.
Through a grant provided by CBM (Christian Blind Mission) we at IDEA have begun an Island-wide Hearing Screening Program. We have started doing hearing testing on the newborn babies born in the Lying-in Clinics and will be screening at one of the local hospitals as well.
A training was performed with all the school nurses on the island and we will be doing hearing screening at every elementary school and working with the seniors at the Senior Centers. Our goal is to do hearing screening on 10,000 people this year. The earlier we identify
children with a hearing loss, the earlier we can either provide them with hearing aids so they can develop speech or get them enrolled in our schools.
We are also working in conjunction with 3 other hearing clinics that are serving impoverished hearing impaired individuals on other islands. IDEA helps them with equipment needs, repair, training and providing quality ear molds utilizing our 3D printer. With this 3D printer we are able to take used hearing aids, remold them and give them away to those who would never be able to afford them.
Working together with Rotary Clubs and Lions Clubs in the US and Australia we are collecting used hearing aids. If you have or know of anyone who has used hearing aids, or if you are a member of a Lions Club or Rotary Club and would be willing to set out collection
boxes please contact us at rhillabush@gmail.com.
Our goal is to raise the level of hearing care throughout the Philippines and to give the gift of hearing to as many people as possible. We don’t have to do all the work ourselves, we just have to work with others who are passionate about the same things!