hear so the world may
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Starkey Hearing Foundation
Labor of Love
Building Community-Based, Sustainable Systems of Hearing Care United States • South Africa • Lesotho • Kenya India • Cambodia • China • Philippines
Empower Dreaming of a better tomorrow, Living through possibility, Finding the resources to attain. Shining a light, Knowledge. Skills. Faith. Filling the soul with courage, Surrounding entire communities, Ensuring success. Telling all who will listen,
You deserve a chance to live up to your potential.
Tell us your ideas: facebook.com/starkeycares 3
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Inside 4
Founders’ Note Bill and Tani Austin empower change.
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Reel A peek at stunning, documentary films of missions and more.
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Engage News and posts from friends worldwide.
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Field Notes Bridging Borders.
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Listen Carefully Spreading the word about hearing protection.
Beyond the Red Carpet Celebrity support for the gift of hearing moves them to action.
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Firsthand Dave Fabry.
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Noteworthy Meeting of the Minds.
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Sounds Good Can you identify this sound?
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We want to hear from you. Tell us your thoughts: facebook.com/ starkeycares 6700 Washington Avenue South Eden Prairie, MN 55344 www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org 12555 Jefferson Boulevard #150 Los Angeles, CA 90066
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Starkey Hearing Foundation is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) public tax-exempt charitable organization.
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Recent Missions 18
Special Olympics Commits to Hearing Health Building a lasting partnership.
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India Opening a world of opportunity.
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South Africa Joining forces to change lives.
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Lesotho Building a foundation for future success.
Cambodia Putting down roots for better hearing.
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Kenya Giving people a reason to hope.
China Extending our family beyond borders.
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The Vikings Join the Team Showing the power of partnership.
Philippines Providing hope and joy.
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L abor of Love
S tarkey Hearing Foundation takes on the ultimate challenge - developing sustainable and community-based hearing health care.
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Transforming a Nation Working together to change the future of hearing health care in Rwanda.
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Empowering Others Tani Austin dedicates herself to the long-term enrichment of the lives of those in need.
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BILL AND TANI AUSTIN empower change.
Founders’ Note There is a difference between the work an organization does and the impact it makes. Everyone on our team clearly loves the work, but only over time do we begin to fully understand the differences our efforts make. It is fundamental to give a person in need hearing aids, but the real challenge lies in inspiring that person to find their humanity by becoming a caring member of their community. This turns those hearing aids into a lifetime of hope and possibility. We founded Starkey Hearing Foundation with the belief that every person should have the chance to hear, but this belief goes far deeper. When we say “So the World May Hear,� what we really mean is that we want people in need struggling with hearing loss to be able to permanently improve the quality of their lives by connecting with the world around them. The world around them is a living, breathing community that is also searching for the strength and knowledge to build a better tomorrow. We believe that to allow someone to be unnecessarily diminished diminishes the potential of the community and our world. Our role is not to bring the change sought, but instead, to give each person the opportunity to realize their full potential. We know that this is easier said than done, but we have never shied away from a challenge. As an organization we know that truly sustainable change will not be accomplished without the help of partners and communities. We empower those we work with to become hearing health advocates, and as a result, we are developing sustainable, community-based systems of hearing care that will impact and transform lives for generations to come. So the world may hear,
Bill and Tani Austin 4
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Short documentary films await you at youtube.com/StarkeyHearingFndn. Check them out, and let us know what you think.
Reel We round up our latest story telling.
Preparing the Gift of Hearing Before we go into a country to provide hearing care to people in need, a great deal of preparation needs to be done. We must work closely with our on-the-ground partners to identify patients and take impressions that will be turned into earmolds to ensure a customized, perfect fit for each patient. Our new short film highlights what’s necessary to build a successful foundation for the gift of hearing.
“Everyone has a right to health.” REMY RACIFIQUE Global Health Corps Fellow
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Recycling Hope Every year thousands of used hearing aids are donated to the Foundation from hearing professionals and other individuals looking to help give someone in need the gift of hearing. Many of the hearing aids used on international hearing missions come from the recycling program. Our new short film follows hearing aids through the recycling process as they are given new life for someone in need.
Journey to the Heart of Inspiration Something special happens when you bring together great minds and high-achievers to try to make a difference – people in need begin to understand their importance and potential. In our new short film, we welcome former President George W. Bush, two-time Super Bowl champion Ray Lewis and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete to the team to empower and inspire people in need across Tanzania.
“Your greatest leaders, I guarantee, are your greatest servants.”
“It is very important to get everybody involved in helping to help other people.”
RAY LEWIS
RICK BARAN Starkey Hearing Technologies
Letters and posts from you—on the web and in the mail.
Engage Social media has been buzzing with Starkey Hearing Foundation.
Follow the conversation @starkeycares
@ddlovato: I love my new @LSTN headphones! Every pair helps restore hearing through @starkeycares.. So amazing! #giftofgiving
@ShannonElizb: So excited to head to India tomorrow to work with @starkeycares!!
@RichardBranson: One of the most rewarding moments of our lives – giving the gift of hearing @starkeycares
@GregJennings: The @starkeycares and @SOMinnesota team has so much heart! They are true champions! Thanks for a great week! #VikingsGiveBack
@Briggs28Paul: @starkeycares does tremendous work all around the world; my son was one of the lucky children to receive their help.
@fabelmollie: Many @Vikings fans are listening carefully with ear plugs passed out by the @starkeycares volunteers!
@MattBlair59: : @starkeycares Thrilled to be part of such a giving organization! You do so much
@KennedyOdede: Arrived safely in #Nairobi and ready for the @starkeycares mission in Kibera.
@Sentebale: Epic afternoon with @starkeycares at Kananelo Centre. Great to see some children conversing with us and each other.
@ChrisJack_Getty: 95 year old Mathabang who hasn’t heard for 22 years listening to Bob Marley! @sentebale @starkeycares
“Grateful to celebrate life and sound with @starkeycares & @Vikings in MN today” Tweeted by @AdrianPeterson
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Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Minnesota.
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Our goal. The goal is clear: Deliver more than 1,000,000 hearing aids this decade. The reason is obvious: Help people in need, in turn transforming families and communities. The method is effective: Reach out to hearingimpaired children and adults around the globe— many living in isolation, at home and in developing countries. The results are life-changing.
Learn more and join the movement Tell us how you can help: facebook.com/starkeycares Or donate now by visiting:
https://action.starkeyhearingfoundation.org
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Giving the Gift of Hearing: Globally Bill Austin began with the desire to make a difference 50 years ago. He followed up with action. To date, Starkey Hearing Foundation has given more than 1 million hearing aids to people in need throughout the world. We’re building a global network of care—and you can help.
1 + 1 = 2 = million hearing aids already provided
million hearing aids this decade
million hearing aids
Countless lives changed, as we impact not just the person in need but also their family and community with the gift of hearing.
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Changing the world by partnering across borders.
Field Notes
Bridging Borders Rotary Clubs prove to be powerful partners in creating lasting change. In August, Starkey Hearing Foundation and Rotary executed one of the largest humanitarian efforts ever undertaken by either organization. This effort mobilized more than 70 Rotary Clubs in the United States and Peru to partner with the Foundation to deliver hearing aids to nearly 10,000 people across five cities in northern Peru. As awe-inspiring as this initiative was, few people realize that a little girl in Honduras planted the seed for this unprecedented mission 17 years ago. In 1996, a group of Rotary volunteers made up of contractors and engineers took a trip to a small orphanage in San Pedro Sula, Honduras to renovate a kitchen and build a bathroom. Throughout their work, the team, led by Jim Davenport, noticed that a beautiful 8-year-old girl named Brenda was taking a special interest in them. As the volunteers began to interact with her, they realized that she could not hear. Davenport immediately got in touch with Starkey Hearing Foundation. Bill Austin made her a set of hearing aids, and that was that, except it wasn’t. “The next year we went back to build a kindergarten classroom,” explains Davenport. “We were greeted by 20 children with hope-filled eyes pointing at their ears.” Davenport and his team once again got in touch with the Foundation, and the following year they were met by 30 more children. To date, Davenport, his team and Starkey Hearing Foundation have helped give more than 7,000 Hondurans the gift of hearing. Fifteen years later, Rotary Club member Jerry Brecke, a user of Starkey brand hearing aids, organized several 10
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oceangoing containers of supplies to be delivered to northern Peru. He traveled to Chimbote, Peru for the scheduled delivery, but the containers never showed up. As a result, Brecke spent his time getting to know the local Rotary Clubs, and once they saw his hearing aids and learned about the Foundation, they wanted to organize a partnership and hearing mission. While the Rotarians in Peru worked to mobilize additional clubs and resources, Brecke returned to build a partnership with the Foundation. Having learned from our experience in Honduras and working with Rotary Clubs in India, Nepal, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar and throughout Latin America, the Foundation believes the power of a global organization like Rotary is in its ability to come together across borders to create tremendous impact. “As soon as we understood that this was a partnership between U.S.-based Rotary Clubs and Rotary Clubs in Peru, the Foundation jumped at the opportunity to partner,” said Brady Forseth, executive director of Starkey Hearing Foundation. “The Peru mission demonstrated the impact of empowering local Rotary Clubs to solve the issues facing their own communities. By giving the local clubs ownership and the resources needed, their motivation, enthusiasm and community relationships ensure a fully sustainable program.” In Honduras, Brenda has become an inspiring example of the power of community-based, sustainable programs and the potential for lasting impact in cross-border partnerships. She has grown into a remarkable woman, and now works as a counselor at the same orphanage where Davenport first met her.
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Spreading the word about hearing protection.
Listen Carefully We raise awareness for hearing protection at Tony Hawk’s 2013 Stand Up for Skateparks and encourage attendees to Listen Carefully. Each year skateboarding legend Tony Hawk organizes a day of fun, sun, skateboarding and live music, all to raise funds to help empower at-risk youth through the creation of free, quality public skate parks in low-income communities across the U.S. This year, Starkey Hearing Foundation joined in the fun to raise awareness about
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the importance of hearing protection through our Listen Carefully campaign. Chris and Kyle Massey joined our team as we spread the word and passed out earplugs and information. We were encouraged to see the message stick and guests recognize the vital connection hearing brings. Looking across the crowd during Modest Mouse’s headlining performance, we saw hundreds of protected ears.
Photos courtesy of Tony Hawk Foundation 2013.
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Creating a better world through commitment.
Noteworthy
Meeting of the Minds During the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, the team builds on a powerful commitment. When Bill Austin met with former President Bill Clinton in 2010, neither could have imagined the impact it would have on lives and communities around the world struggling with hearing loss. At the time Starkey Hearing Foundation was fitting around 50,000 hearing aids a year, and Austin told President Clinton about the work the Foundation had been doing around the world. President Clinton responded with a challenge for Austin to do more. Austin immediately accepted and made a formal Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action to provide 1 million hearing aids to people in need around the world by 2020. The initial project plan was to fit at least 100,000 hearing aids annually for 10 years, but thanks to the Foundation’s global outreach efforts and great partnerships, today we are nearly 40 percent ahead of schedule. In the last year alone, we have fit more than 165,000 hearing aids around the world. At the CGI Annual Meeting in September, Austin, Steven Sawalich and the team once again took to the stage, but rather than highlight the success of our current commitment, we put our philosophy – “Alone we can’t do much. Together we can change the world.” – to the test. In partnership with CGI and fellow CGI members Pentair and Shining Hope for Communities, Starkey Hearing Foundation announced that we are spearheading a collective impact effort to bring top organizations together to improve quality of life in Africa’s largest slum, Kibera, Kenya. In Kibera, 50 percent of the population is under 15 years of age, and lack of infrastructure, clean water, education, economic opportunity and health care, including 14
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untreated hearing loss, pose an extreme challenge to their productivity and quality of life. Providing access to any one of these items can mean the difference between attaining a better life and long-term isolation and sustained poverty. However, we don’t plan to just tackle one issue. By developing a collective of powerful partnerships, we plan to take a holistic approach to the issues facing Kibera, aiming for deep and long-term impact. As our first partner in this new and ambitious commitment, Pentair is helping us take on the issue of water supply, by working to develop infrastructure that will provide clean and safe water for years to come. In addition Starkey Hearing Foundation has already begun making an impact on establishing communitybased hearing health care in Kibera. We are partnering with Shining Hope for Communities, a local grassroots organization that links essential health and economic services to schools for girls in order to provide locally supported and directed services. Through this partnership we will build capacity for community-based hearing health care by embedding the Foundation’s services in an already well-established clinic that serves approximately 40,000 people per year. While we continue to seek out additional partners to help address the many issues this community has struggled with for far too long, we look forward to watching Kibera’s potential come to life. As our commitment and impact grows, we hope to encourage many more to ask themselves, “What more can I do?”
Photo courtesy of Clinton Global Initiative.
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Recent Missions
Minnesota China India Cambodia Kenya
South Africa
Lesotho
We have delivered the gift of hearing to more than
100 countries.
1/2
of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable through primary prevention.
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People with hearing loss can
benefit from devices such as hearing aids, and from sign language training, and educational and social support.
Philippines
Building a sustainable future.
sustainable
adjective \s -'stÄ -n -b l\
e
e
e
1. Able to last or continue for a long time 2. Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level 3. Able to be upheld or defended S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G F O U N DAT I O N
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Mission:
The Goal
Give athletes hope.
eden prairie
Special Olympics Commits to Hearing Health Athletes take over headquarters to receive the gift of hearing. OUR OFFICE WAS FLOODED WITH INSPIRATION when Special Olympics Minnesota athletes and their families arrived for a homegrown mission. The Foundation has partnered with Special Olympics Minnesota on its Healthy Hearing Athletes Initiative, and this mission kicked off what we hope will become a long and life-changing collaboration that will open up the world of sound to all Special Olympics athletes in need. Each athlete was fit with top-of-the-line, customized hearing aids that opened up the world of sound like never before. Discussing the significance of this mission, Bill Austin said, “We don’t believe in disabilities. We believe in ability. Everybody has it, and we have to find it, use it and maximize it.” Special Olympics Minnesota president, Dave Dorn, said the partnership with the Foundation would make a huge difference in each of the athlete’s lives. “It’s a confidence builder,” Dorn said. “They can be engaged in conversations and hear the world around them. All of a sudden they are much more participatory and active in their surroundings because they can hear what’s going on.” 18
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What We Did Built a lasting partnership.
special thanks: Special Olympics Minnesota
September 2013
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Mission:
The Goal
Inspire further progress.
bhubezi
South Africa We once again partner with Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite. AFTER BEING HONORED at the So the World May Hear Awards Gala in July, Sir Richard Branson partnered with us for a third time to bring the gift of hearing to people in need at Virgin Unite’s Bhubezi Healthcare Clinic in South Africa. More than 300 patients from the surrounding Bushbruckridge community were fit with hearing aids. Branson and the Virgin Unite team worked closely with the hearing mission team to ensure each patient left with a new connection to sound and life. Discussing his continued dedication to the work of the Foundation, Branson said, “I admire the Starkey Hearing Foundation for its tireless effort to transform lives with the gift of hearing. I hope it will inspire others, businesses and nonprofits alike, to seek new, innovative and entrepreneurial ways of making a difference in people’s lives.”
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What We Did Joined forces to change lives.
October 2013
special thanks: Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Unite, Bhubezi Healthcare Clinic, Hugo Tempelman, Mariette Slabbert, Midred Shabangu, Jerry Marobyane, Medefix, Leigh and Lisa Kassner
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Mission:
maseru
Lesotho The team receives royal help. THE MISSION TEAM WAS EXCITED to bring the gift of hearing to the Kingdom of Lesotho for the first time and partner with Sentebale, a nonprofit organization cofounded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Patients, ranging from 4 to 101 years old, traveled from all parts of the small, landlocked country to have their hearing assessed and be fit for hearing aids. For many it was an opportunity to hear for the very first time. Prince Seeiso and Sentebale CEO Cathy Ferrier joined the team to help fit hearing aids and open up the world of sound to many living in silence and isolation. “I have seen children wanting to talk to each other, and their eyes tell a thousand stories,” Prince Seeiso said. “On behalf of myself, Prince Harry and Sentebale, a big thanks goes to Starkey Hearing Foundation.”
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The Goal
Inspire those in need.
What We Did Built a foundation for future success.
special thanks: Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, Sentebale, NADL
October 2013
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Mission: eldoret nakuru mara
meru kibera mombasa
The Goal
Connect communities.
Kenya Hearing mission team brings love to Kenya. THE SEPTEMBER 21 terrorist attack on Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi gave the world pause. The entire Foundation watched in horror thinking about the families of those lost and the safety of our friends and partners in this country we have grown to love so deeply. However, not for a moment did we question our upcoming October hearing mission in Kenya. We knew that now, more than ever, the people of Kenya needed to know how much the world cared, and the best way we could do that was to give the gift of hearing. As the inspiration for our new and powerful Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action to improve quality of life in one of Africa’s largest slums, Kibera took on special meaning during this hearing mission. In addition to fitting hearing aids, we were able to further our partnerships and deepen our connection to the community. It was motivating to know that by helping to unlock the potential of valuable individuals, those same people will be able to help this vibrant community build a promising future. From the thrilling beauty of the Masai Mara to the possibility filled halls of KAAGA School for the Hearing Impaired in Meru to the dreams swelling in the streets of Kibera, the hearing mission team crisscrossed Kenya opening up the world of sound to everyone from 3 to 103. For more than two weeks the hearing mission team delivered love, light and hope to more than 4,000 people who will work to build a brighter future for their homeland.
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special thanks: John Bachman, Sheri Libby, Gary and Julie
Hammers, Shining Hope for Communities, Kennedy and Jessica Odede
What We Did
Gave people a reason to hope.
special thanks: Owen Olende, Serah Ndegwe, Beatrice Paramena
October 2013
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Mission:
The Goal
Give patients a day to remember.
eden prairie
The Vikings Join the Team Minnesota Vikings partner for a homegrown hearing mission. TRAVELING FROM NEARBY METRO DEAF SCHOOL and Faribault School for the Deaf, and from as far away as California, Missouri and Indiana, more than 50 patients arrived at our headquarters for a hearing mission with the Minnesota Vikings and Starkey Hearing Technologies. Overjoyed to meet their heroes, the children taught Vikings stars Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings, Josh Freeman, Jerome Simpson and Greg Childs some sign language, while the players doled out encouragement, inspiration and autographs. Peterson and Jennings laughed and joked with the children, and each of the players had the opportunity to assist as we fit patients with brand new, top-of-the-line hearing aids, customized to their hearing loss. Thanks to Starkey Hearing Technologies, the Vikings and the players with generous hearts, each child left with a huge smile and had a day they will never forget.
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special thanks: Minnesota Vikings, Starkey Hearing Technologies, Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings, Josh Freeman, Greg Childs, Paul Molitor, Ben Leber
What We Did Showed the power of partnership.
October 2013
special thanks: Jerome Simpson, Carl Eller, Ricky Young, Matt Blair, Chuck
Foreman, Delta Zeta, Jane Bowman, Metro Deaf School, Faribault School for the Deaf
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The Goal
Mission:
Build the potential of a generation.
nashik aurangabad
bangalore
kochi
India An outpouring of incredible volunteers give back across India. A STRONG TEAM FROM STARKEY INDIA supports every hearing mission in India, but our recent mission there was also met with an amazing team of volunteers, including long-time Foundation supporter and actress Shannon Elizabeth and NBA legend Ron Harper. More than 29 local audiology students volunteered to help and gained hands-on experience teaching patients about their new hearing aids. In addition, we welcomed Rasheed, who was first found to have hearing loss at the age of five. Immediately, his parents had him fit with hearing aids, which allowed him to remain in mainstream schools. There he learned to speak the local language Kannada, English and sign language! Now 30, Rasheed was a perfect counselor, teaching the children how to use and care for their hearing aids. During this four-city mission we fit more than 11,000 hearing aids. With the strong partnership of the Starkey India team and all of our amazing volunteers over the years, we have given the gift of hearing to nearly 80,000 Indians in need.
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What We Did Opened up a world of opportunity.
November 2013
special thanks: Shannon Elizabeth, Ron Harper, Dennis and Leslie Hansen, Amy Jacobsohn, AMRITA Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Arshad Hussain, Starkey India
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The Goal
Mission:
Sow the seeds of a brighter future.
siem reap
Cambodia New experiences in a new country. CAMBODIA IS A BEAUTIFUL NATION of dense jungles and ancient temples, but it is also home to one of the worst human tragedies in the 20th Century. The Cambodian Genocide resulted in the deaths of more than 1.7 million people (21 percent of the population), but these amazing people have persevered through decades of conflict to create better lives for themselves and build a bright future for their children. The team was excited to hold our first mission in the country and do our part to empower people with hearing loss and their families to a better tomorrow. With the help of skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and actress Shannon Elizabeth, and accompanied by a team from ABC News, we worked to put down roots for better hearing that can grow for decades to come. One child we met was Sang, a young girl who had never heard before. Her mother said she almost never smiled, and by looking into her eyes, you could tell she felt isolated and alone. Tani Austin was able to fit her. By a slight glimmer in her eye and a sideways glance, Tani knew she was hearing, but her reaction was small. The next day we visited a local deaf school and were shocked to see Sang. She had enrolled that day and by the huge smiles on their faces, both Sang and her mother looked like different people! Tani worked with her on signing and speech therapy, and the transformation we witnessed over only 24 hours was miraculous!
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November 2013
What We Did Put down roots for better hearing.
At the end of the final day of fitting, the team was rewarded with a visit to Ta Prohm Temple.
Sang before.
Sang in school after receiving the gift of hearing.
special thanks: Tony Hawk, Shannon Elizabeth, Krousar Thmey, Enfants Sourds du Cambodge, Vouthy Toch
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Bill Austin and Steven Sawalich take a moment to enjoy the beauty of Bayon Temple.
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At the end of our first fitting day, Tony Hawk took to a rooftop ramp to showcase his skills.
Before starting the day, the team watched the sun rise over Bayon Temple.
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The Goal
Mission:
Further strengthen powerful partnerships.
guilin
China Hearing mission team receives grand welcome. OUR RECENT HEARING MISSION IN CHINA began with all of the ceremony and grandeur the Chinese government is so well known for. As soon as the team arrived in Guilin, the government and the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF) welcomed them with a beautiful banquet. Throughout the evening, heartfelt speeches were interwoven with moving toasts as the joy-filled room buzzed with excitement for the gift of hearing. “During last year’s hearing mission, I called Mr. Austin three titles: a great philanthropist, a social activist and a humanitarian who brings peace to the world. This year I would like to add one more: a truthful friend to all Chinese people,” said Madame Siliang Tao, chairwoman of the Audiology Development Foundation of China and vice chairwoman of the China Association of Mayors. “This mission promotes mutual understanding between Chinese and American people by helping to establish people to people diplomacy.” Once we began fitting people in need with hearing aids, we were honored to welcome our friend and 2013 So the World May Hear Gala honoree Chunli Zhao “Angel” to help us change lives in her hometown of Guilin. Bill Austin was even able to give the gift of hearing to her father as Angel and her mother looked on! Over the course of this hearing mission, we worked with Starkey China, CDPF and the Chinese government to fit more than 3,000 hearing aids to people in need.
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What We Did
Extended our family beyond borders.
November 2013
special thanks: China Disabled Persons Federation, Madame Siliang Tao,
Audiology Development Foundation of China, Association of Mayors, Starkey China, Government of Guilin, Chunli Zhao “Angel,� Saint Cloud State University
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The Goal
Mission: manila
Give a better tomorrow.
batangas lipa city
general santos
Philippines Stars come out to reflect caring to people in need. TYPHOON HAIYAN STRUCK THE PHILIPPINES three weeks before our long-scheduled hearing mission was set to take place. For a second after that horrible tragedy, we paused to consider how to help, and we decided that the best thing we could do was go, as planned, to give the gift of hearing to more than 5,000 people. Joined by boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, fresh from his victory in China, and singer Jessica Sanchez, we brought our love and care to more than 6,000 patients. In his hometown of General Santos, Pacquiao proudly joined the hearing mission team to give back to his local community. He fulfilled two wishes for one young man who got to meet both his hero and receive the gift of hearing. Excited to be as hands-on as possible with the patients, Sanchez worked and traveled with the team for the entire hearing mission. Her first day on the job she helped reconnect 88-year-old Maria Solis Sogon with her 12 children, 20 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Maria broke into song to Sanchez’s delight. By the end of the hearing mission, it was Sanchez who was moved to song by all of the incredible people and lives she was able to help change. She performed for a captivated audience, giving many of them their first experience of music. From General Santos to Lipa City to Batangas to Manila, the team was inspired by the resilience of the Philippines. While many may have been knocked down by the impact of Typhoon Haiyan, from what we experienced, their spirit has not been broken. It will not take long for the Philippines to be just as strong, if not stronger than it was before.
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What We Did
Provided hope and joy.
December 2013
special thanks: Jessica Sanchez, Edina Sanchez, Manny Pacquiao, University of Santo Tomas, Mike Wheeler, Dr. Robert Dean, Jon Gluchowski, the Schifmillers
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LABOR OF LOVE
For decades, organizations have sought to develop strategies that could provide affordable hearing care to the world’s poor. But, with two-thirds of those affected by hearing loss living in developing countries, the challenges are overwhelming.
Starkey Hearing Foundation takes on the ultimate challenge – developing sustainable and communitybased hearing health care.
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We aim to change that. In the last year alone, the hearing mission team has fit more than 165,000 hearing aids to people in need around the world. The Foundation is determined to leverage the success we’ve had in each of the communities in which we operate. Communities alone are their own best advocates, and our approach is to harness this potential to improve the lives of those affected by hearing loss. We have developed and continue to enhance a measurable model for hearing health delivery with strategic partners in recipient countries. After working with national and regional health leaders, we strive to invert the traditional model of top-down health interventions to a model that is community-based.
OUR APPROACH Through our community-based model we work to empower local residents to create ownership over local hearing health services. We do this by partnering with schools and NGOs to promote hearing health awareness, identify patients in need of hearing health services and sustain proper use of hearing devices. Incorporating volunteers from the hearing health community, we recruit, train and incentivize local volunteers in order to ensure the long-term success of the program.
Community
Regional
Influence and Action
Access and Resources
National
We take a three-phase approach to developing sustainable, community-based systems of hearing care.
PHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3
• Identify partners • Train partners in our hearing health protocol • Screen for hearing loss • Take earmold impressions • Identify community-based health workers
• Re-assess patients • Fit hearing aids with custom earmolds • Train, educate and counsel patients • Train community-based health workers
• Provide on-going patient education • Continue training of community-based health workers • Monitor and evaluate progress
With our support, the community is empowered to create a ripple effect that will influence regional and national resource distribution, policy and development, resulting in lasting change.
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TRANSFORMING A NATION Working together to change the future of hearing health care in Rwanda.
As the sun rises over Kigali, Rwanda, Dr. Kaitesi Batamuliza Mukara steels herself as she prepares for another day of unrelenting need. Dr. Kaitesi is an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor in a country where any kind of medical specialist is in high demand. After finishing her medical degree, Dr. Kaitesi returned to Rwanda to practice. She wanted to help give back and rebuild her country, still recovering from civil war and genocide. There she discovered that being an ENT alone was not enough to meet the needs of her patients, many of whom were also struggling with hearing loss. So, she went abroad once more to also become an audiologist. Rwanda is home to only three audiologists, two of whom only just graduated in the fall of 2013, and the other is Dr. Kaitesi. Awareness of hearing care, ear health and hearing loss prevention in Rwanda is low. Dr. Kaitesi estimates 44
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that nearly 70 percent of her patients suffer from hearing loss that could have been preventable with early medical intervention or proper ear care. The other 30 percent of her patients suffered hearing loss as a result of Rwanda’s recent violent conflict or hereditary issues. As Dr. Kaitesi makes her way to the University Central Hospital of Kigali, she knows that she will be met with many patients unable to afford the $300 hearing aids available only very recently at the Kanombe Military Hospital in Kigali. For her patients in the far regions of Rwanda, who she travels sometimes days to see, hearing aids are beyond imagination. However, Starkey Hearing Foundation is working to change that in a big way. In 2011, the Foundation knew that if we were going to bring hearing health care to Rwanda, we had to make sure
Dr. Kaitesi Batamuliza Mukara, Lorraine Todd, Olga Gashema, Tani Austin and Olive Musoni
it was long-term and sustainable. In order to do that, we needed a strong on-the-ground team and local partners. We recruited the help of Dr. Kaitesi and hired Hearing Health Coordinator Olive Musoni. Together, along with the Rwandan government, Rwanda Allied Health Professionals Council and area hospitals, we have built a strong foundation for sustainable, community-based hearing health care. “When Starkey Hearing Foundation first came to Rwanda, they were the only people who were offering hearing aids,” said Dr. Kaitesi. “We had so many people who needed hearing aids. Few could afford them, but even for them, hearing aids were not available in the country at that time. Starkey offered us hope. There was no way I was not going to be a part of that.” It has been a long and challenging road, but in the last year the Rwanda Hearing Health Program really began to pick up momentum. In 2013 alone, the Foundation has provided more than 2,000 hearing aids and facilitated weekly AfterCare programs in four different locations across Rwanda. As part of our AfterCare programs, the team collaborates with community partners to facilitate school and other local visits for patient education and follow-up. We also provide medical recommendations to patients with non-hearing-related health issues. Throughout the program development process, the Foundation has provided training to more than 37 health care workers and nurses, empowering and building up
local capacity to manage and maintain the program at the community level. Speaking about the impact the program has had on local communities Musoni said, “For those who are given back their hearing in the long-term, it is a good thing for the people of Rwanda. Especially for the patients who lost their hearing during the genocide. When they lost their hearing, they were not able to work. Someone can give you food, someone can give you money, but when we give someone back the ability to hear, we give them back their ability to contribute. We give them back their dignity.” Because of our success at the community level, the Foundation is now working with the Rwanda Ministry of Health to help develop policy for hearing health across the nation. For Dr. Kaitesi and Musoni, this collaboration means more hope for a better and stronger future for Rwanda. Discussing her hopes and ambitions, Dr. Kaitesi said, “It is a good beginning. As the program grows, I hope we can build awareness for hearing health, so eventually we can decrease preventable hearing loss with early treatment and proper hearing health. Then we can focus more intensely on full rehabilitation and integration of the patients in need of hearing aids.” With such powerful partnerships behind her, those dreams are certainly within reach.
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EMPOWERING OTHERS
Tani Austin dedicates herself to the long-term enrichment of the lives of those in need.
Tani Austin has made it her personal mission to build what she hopes will become the most successful hearing health AfterCare program. Over the last year, she has put together a team, launched a training program and developed an advanced data collection strategy. Single-minded and determined, she knows the future of sustainable hearing health care lies in the empowerment of communities to take charge of their own futures. Why have you chosen to focus on building communitybased and sustainable hearing care? Starkey Hearing Foundation has the best problem an organization can hope for – every opportunity to do more good. Since 1984, we have fit hundreds of thousands of children and adults with hearing aids on almost every continent. We want 46
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to ensure that every person who receives hearing aids also receives continued support, tools and the resources needed to incorporate the gift of hearing into their lives in a sustainable and meaningful way. How are you ensuring the success of this program? This past year, we have really ramped up our focus and looked at ways we can strengthen our service model. We consider it our responsibility to ensure that the people we help continue to receive the benefit from the gift of hearing and have the community support necessary to help them reach their full potential. This year we are launching a database that will document and measure the scope and impact of our hearing missions.
With an increased focus on data-driven reporting, we will improve how we communicate our findings, including successes, areas for improvement and best practices to guide our future decision-making. This data will also improve accountability and transparency. In addition, we have placed increased importance on local training. In September we held our first regional training workshop for Starkey Hearing Foundation country coordinators from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Rwanda. Where have you had the most success with community-based sustainability? With a strong country coordinator and on-the-ground partners, Rwanda is a powerful and effective program. I see incredibly good things for the future of hearing care in Rwanda.
Our programs in China and the Dominican Republic are also having great impact. In China, we have an 89 percent follow-up rate, and in the Dominican Republic our followup rate is 87 percent. Our programs in the Philippines, India and Peru are also showing great promise. What has this commitment to sustainable hearing care meant to you personally? It means I am travelling a whole lot more! I do miss my family, but I believe that if I help put hearing aids on a child, I have a personal responsibility to make sure that child grows up in a community that values and supports his/her efforts to live a fully connected life. If I show a community what is possible, I have a responsibility to do everything in my power to give them the tools to build a brighter future. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G F O U N DAT I O N
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BEYOND THE RED CARPET Celebrity support for the gift of hearing moves them to action.
WE ARE USED TO SEEING OUR HEROES WALKING THE RED CARPET at the Gala and other events, but for those who support Starkey Hearing Foundation, their commitment extends into the mission field.
TONY HAWK Tony Hawk has taken his given talent for skateboarding and turned it into a personal mission to give at-risk youth around the world a safe and productive place to go – skate parks. However, his desire to have a positive impact on the world also extends to the gift of hearing. He recently joined the hearing mission team on our very first mission in Cambodia.
PRINCE SEEISO OF LESOTHO Prince Seeiso of Lesotho is dedicated to the betterment of his people. Together with Prince Harry, he has founded Sentebale, an organization bringing valuable health care to Lesotho, including the gift of hearing. Prince Seeiso got hands-on experience fitting hearing aids at our first mission in his country.
ADRIAN PETERSON Having overcome enormous adversity to become one of the best players in the NFL, Adrian Peterson knows what it means to truly live up to your potential. Off the field, he is dedicated to bettering the lives of at-risk youth through his All Day Foundation and helping to give the gift of hearing. He has joined us on missions in Uganda and Minnesota. 48
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JESSICA SANCHEZ As part of her heritage, the Philippines holds a special place in Jessica Sanchez’s heart. In the wake of last year’s devastating typhoon, Sanchez chose to give back by spending 10 days working alongside the hearing mission team opening up the world of sound for thousands.
MANNY PACQUIAO Manny Pacquiao is a dedicated and heartfelt supporter of the gift of hearing. His love for helping others hear is topped only by his love for the people of the Philippines. He has proven time and again that he is willing to go above and beyond to ensure people in need are given a chance to hear and be fully connected to life.
DAKOTA FANNING
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We have all watched Dakota Fanning grow from a gifted child actor into an intelligent and generous woman. She has taken a special interest in the gift of hearing by helping us open up the world of sound to people in need in Zambia.
JESSE EISENBERG Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg is also making a name for himself as a humanitarian and philanthropist. He has taken a special interest in causes that support the environment, animal rights and the gift of hearing. Eisenberg joined us this year in Zambia to help change lives.
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DAVE FABRY takes on Alcatraz to help give the gift of hearing around the world.
Firsthand
Breaking Free When Dave Fabry, Ph.D. audiologist and Starkey Hearing Technologies’ Vice President of Audiology and Professional Services, set out to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco to raise money for the gift of hearing, he never imagined the incredible support he would inspire. He had never swum any significant distance or in open water. Inspired by his experiences on hearing missions and tempted by the thought of conquering his fears, he raised more than $14,000 for the Foundation by successfully escaping from Alcatraz. What made you want to escape from Alcatraz? Well-known adventurer Jamie Clark spoke to some of our customer groups about climbing Mount Everest and journeying into the empty corridor of the Sahara Desert. I was fascinated and inspired by his desire to push the limits. Around the same time I was approaching my 54th birthday, the same age my father was when he died, and I decided I wanted to do something that terrified me to commemorate and celebrate this birthday. Why did you decide to use this opportunity to raise money for the gift of hearing? During my sixmonths of training for the swim from Alcatraz, I had been working with the Foundation on various projects. One Sunday, after I came back from swimming, I was looking at the Operation Change website and thinking about its message of taking every opportunity to help make the world a better place. I decided that instead of going after this challenge for selfish reasons, I would try to bring some good to other people too by raising money for the gift of hearing. How did you train for this event? I swam in indoor pools in the cool months. Summer in Minnesota, despite our reputation for being the tundra, the lakes do warm up, so I used them to train as well. 5 0 S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
First I started by trying to perfect my stroke and get more distance. Then I started swimming in local lakes to learn how to not panic in open water. Then the final thing I did right before the swim was to have some custom earplugs made to prevent the cold water from chilling me. The temperature in San Francisco Bay at the time of the swim was 61 degrees, so the earplugs and the wetsuit I wore were both lifesavers. I found that by the time I did the swim, I was actually over-prepared. I certainly would never say it was easy, but I would say that if I can do it, anyone can. How did you feel as you were finishing the swim? You are going through four very strong current paths, and you are in a rising tide. The water is flushing in from the cold ocean, and you can feel the colder water as you cross these current paths. So, I was counting them, and by the time I crossed the last one, I was inside the levy in the Aquatic Park and protected from the currents. Once there, I felt really strong and was able to speed up. Across the bay, I used as my motivation that I was raising money to open up the world of sound to people in need. That thought helped keep me going strong. What advice would you have for others looking to give back? Lily Tomlin once said, “Somebody should do something about that. Then I realized I am somebody.” It is that insight that I think people should focus on. We are all capable of doing good in the world. You just have to figure out what you can contribute. Instead of focusing on the big, audacious goal or impact, think about the small things that you are capable of doing each day. As Yoda says, “There is no try, only do.”
“ Instead of focusing on the big, audacious goal or impact, think about the small things that you are capable of doing each day. As Yoda says, ‘There is no try, only do.’”
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Sounds Good Can you identify that sound? A crack
and then a pop, followed by whooshing heat that laps against a fresh surface. The sharp earthy smell of cut wood and burnt newspaper fills the warm air that breaks through the damp winter cold.
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There is nothing more comforting than a roaring fire in the dead of winter. So, throw another log on and gather your family around, as you enjoy the life, closeness and connection that is brought out by trying to stay warm during the long months of winter.
listen carefully.
Music: we want you to be able to hear it. The sounds of a guitar. The lyrics to your favorite song.
The majority of teen hearing loss can be prevented.
One in 8 teenagers has hearing loss due to high-volume sounds in daily life. Like the blare of car horns. Or the music pumping through your headphones.
Protect your hearing. Lower the volume.
You can’t control the volume of the world around you, of course. But you can lower the volume of your headphones. It’s such a simple thing to do. You’ll save your hearing. Your hearing is fragile. So don’t listen loudly. Listen carefully.
Join the movement at www.listencarefully.org
SAVE THE DATE
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