Seeing videos and photos of babies, adults and everyone in between hearing for the first time brings absolute joy into our lives. Reading a story of a child whose hearing loss was undetected and how the family fought to get answers....then to see the child respond to her first sound is miraculous. If you visit our Mission & History page, you'll read the same type of story.
However, after 10+ years of touring the United States to help people hear, after starting and leading an organization that has given over 27,000 free hearing tests and after taking countless calls from people who are at their breaking point with untreated hearing loss, I have learned one thing. The most common story that is not being told enough is this....people who have tried various audiologists and/or devices and still feel hopeless.
As humans, we want to hear the story of someone crossing the finish line. We want the underdog to win. However, in the world of hearing loss (over 460,000,000 people worldwide have hearing loss), the most common story we hear is Teresa's story.
Teresa has battled hearing loss for over a decade. She was one of the 90% of people who live with untreated hearing loss. She was the person who didn't know what to do, where to go or how to access help.
Teresa's story is so fascinating to tell because not only did she help us have the faith to launch two new programs in the daunting face of low funding due to a global pandemic, but Teresa's story validates everything, we here at Songs for Sound, have done and are about to do.
Before we tell her story, we need to take time to thank an incredible supporter who makes our Jace Chapman Hearing Aid Donation Program possible...The Pickle Foundation. Without their generous support, our support of incredible people would not be possible.
Our mission is to help everyone hear all the incredible sounds life has to offer like music. We help everyone their greatest potentials and hearing "gain" (not loss) is critical to a fulfilling life. We want everyone to #HearTheMusic....
The Day We Met Teresa...
Teresa started her journey to hear when she heard about our Hear the Music Tour coming through Columbus, Oh. Our HTM Tour offers free state-of-the-art hearing tests and information for next steps. A friend of mine is Teresa's daughter and the family has been trying to get Teresa to get help for her hearing loss for a while. Teresa visited our mobile hearing clinic, The Hear the Music Project, at Easton Town Center. Our tour provides over 225 free hearing health events each year.
Teresa, like many men and women all over the world, knew something wasn't right, but hearing it and seeing results can be difficult. Our team is kind, caring and thoughtful. We take time and meet people where they are in their hearing journey and simply guide and listen. We never push.
Upon seeing her results, we referred her to our great partner in Columbus, Oh, The Ohio State University Audiology under Dr. Gail Whitelaw. Dr. Whitelaw had her associate Dr. Jodi Baxter take great care of Teresa. Dr. Baxter helped her understand her hearing loss, understand how that affected her overall health and brain health and what solutions were available to you.
Teresa was fit with a set of Phonak Audeo Paradise hearing aids. These hearing aids offer
- Crisp natural sound
- Brilliant speech understanding
- Personalized noise canceling
- Voice assistant access with a tap
- Connects to smartphones, TV and more
- Empowering smart apps
Upon being fit and served with the best of care, Songs for Sound Care Team Coordinator, Gina Bailey followed up with Teresa 30 days after experiencing sound again....
"She said that she is hearing conversations with people SO MUCH BETTER. She also said her friends are happy she can hear better and keep saying things like “oh you can hear that now!”
She is still trying to find that happy medium when it comes to radio in the car and tv at home. Turning down tv & adjusting her hearing aids on her phone.
She still takes them out when she dances because she “sweats so so much." I explained they're designed to handle sweat with no problems.
She said she hears music so clearly again! When she’s dancing she doesn’t hear the words clear but that’s just because she’s feeling the music and dancing away!
She is so so thankful! Said that from before she is feeling 9/10 on how these hearing aids have made a difference in her life! So much better and enjoying the things she enjoys to do with her friends!
Still learning the technology of them (she found out she could tap the back of her HA and answer a phone call) she realized this while bowling lol
Having a phone call with Teresa before was nearly impossible.. we had to do a Google meet video WITH CAPTIONS. Her and I sat on the phone for almost 30 minutes as we talked about all the things!
She is SO thankful for SFS !!"
Our mission is EVERYONE reaching their own champion story. We'd say this is a success story unfolding...
#HearTheMusic
