MEET THE GIRL BEHIND THE MISSION

MEET LEXI.

After no newborn hearing screening was given, Lexi was first tested at 10 weeks of age. She failed both ears only for us to hear "she's fine, she's just fussy."

Then, we were told "come back in 6-9 months". Three opportunities to diagnose her profound hearing loss were missed. The standard of care for follow up is 2-4 weeks after a failed hearing screening for babies. 

At 10 months of age, the signs and symptoms were becoming very clear. At around 1 year of age, a trip back to the pediatrician to get the referral for follow up, was met with resistance and more of the "just wait" mentality. Thankfully, her parents didn't listen this time. Jaime, our founder and Lexi's mom, recalls, "I said, no. Give me the referral or I'm not leaving."

At nearly 14 months of age, Lexi was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf. It was the first day towards answers and resources that changed her life. 

When Lexi was 18 months of age, she was implanted bilaterally with cochlear implants by Dr. David Haynes at Vanderbilt University Bill Wilkerson Center. Along with her amazing speech and hearing team (speech therapists, audiologists), a split-placement between Mama Lere Hearing School/Belle Meade Children's Center and a lot of family support, Lexi was fully mainstreamed by age 4. She uses spoken language and can hear a whisper. After over a year of not hearing her mother's lullabies, a memory that still breaks Jaime's heart, Lexi can "hear the music". 

Lexi aspires to play Division I NCAA Softball, is on national level club team and attends Centennial High School in Franklin, TN. She is active in her youth at church and loves to hunt deer and turkey. Mostly? Lexi loves music...hearing it, dancing to it and singing along with her friends. All thanks to her miracle surgery and team.