hear so the world may
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Starkey Hearing Foundation
Rock in Rio Teaming up with Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Vampires
CHINA • SOUTH AFRICA • AFGHANISTAN • KENYA • JORDAN • PANAMA • ZAMBIA BRAZIL • NEW YORK • MEXICO • PERU • PHILIPPINES • HAITI • MINNESOTA
HEAR LIFE In the morning... Hear the rooster crowing. Hear the school bus honking. Hear mother’s “I love you.” In the afternoon… Hear the birds singing. Hear the planes flying. Hear the children laughing. In the evening… Hear the crickets chirping. Hear the nightlight humming. Hear father snoring.
Hear Morning. Hear Night. Hear Life.
Tell us your thoughts: facebook.com/starkeycares 3
S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
Trujillo, Peru October 2015
Inside We want to hear from you. Tell us your thoughts: facebook.com/ starkeycares 6700 Washington Avenue South Eden Prairie, MN 55344 www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org
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Reel A peek at stunning documentary films of hearing missions and more.
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Engage News and posts from friends worldwide.
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Field Notes Mainstreaming into life.
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Noteworthy Bill & Tani’s UN Awards.
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The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Starkey Hearing Foundation as a Section 501(c)(3) public charity. Donations are taxdeductible as allowed by law.
Firsthand Alice Cooper in Brazil.
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Recent Missions 12
China Bringing smiles to China.
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South Africa Worth singing about.
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Afghanistan Bringing hearing to Afghanistan.
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Kenya A 21st century upgrade.
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Jordan Joy in a troubled area.
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Panama A collision of cultures.
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Zambia 40 years of silence.
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Brazil Teaming up with Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Vampires.
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South Africa with Sir Richard Branson Stepping into a world of sound.
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New York City, New York Caring for Holocaust survivors.
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Tarlac & Manila, Philippines Thankful in the Philippines.
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Mexico Better hearing habits.
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Iquitos, Piura & Chiclayo, Peru 30 days in Peru.
General Santos & Cagayan de Oro, Philippines Hearing in the dark.
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Trujillo & Cajamarca, Peru The gift of music.
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Bacolod, Tagbilaran & Cebu, Philippines 22 days in the Philippines.
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Huancayo & Pucallpa, Peru Years of love.
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Haiti Teaming up in Haiti.
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Chimbote, Arequipa & Lima, Peru One big, happy family.
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Eden Prairie, Minnesota Giving hearing with the Vikings.
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G olden Cross Award
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H earing for the Holidays
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T he Journey of a Patient
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Short documentary films await you on YouTube. Check them out and let us know what you think.
Reel We round up our latest storytelling.
Giving Hearing at the Special Olympics Starkey Hearing Foundation teamed up with the Special Olympics to give the gift of hearing to athletes at the 2015 World Summer Games in Los Angeles.
“I think the most important thing you see here is that there aren’t any losers. People win, but nobody feels like they lost and that’s what the Special Olympics is all about.” STEVEN SAWALICH
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Arizona Cardinals Star Larry Fitzgerald Inspires Off the Football Field Arizona Cardinals All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald knows the value of giving back. He reflects on the importance of hearing and how it drives him to partner with Starkey Hearing Foundation to make a difference around the world.
Hearing Aids Provide Hope in Afghanistan Sharing the belief that we’re put in the world to make a difference, Starkey Hearing Foundation joined forces with the Bayat Foundation in Kabul, Afghanistan, to bring the gift of hearing to hundreds of deserving families affected by war, famine and poverty.
“It’s great for my soul and I feel like I’m able to do something that’s truly special for people who need it.”
“Our mission is to bring understanding between the peoples of the world as we provide the gift of hearing.”
LARRY FITZGERALD
BILL AUSTIN
Letters and posts from you — on the web and in the mail.
Engage Social media has been buzzing about Starkey Hearing Foundation.
Follow the conversation @starkeycares.
@richardbranson: I fitted a hearing aid on a girl who couldn’t hear. Her reaction was priceless…
@MaddieandTae: Help us bring smiles through @StarkeyCares!
@DeltaZetaNatl: @DeltaZetaNatl and @starkeycares are changing the world every day!
@HARPER04_5: Gm peeps on my way 2 the NYC for @starkeycares event 11-1 it should be awesome helping people hear sound...
@people: Try not to cry seeing Amber Heard and Johnny Depp distribute hearing aids in Rio de Janeiro http://peoplem.ag/G10vS2P @IbakaFoundation: What a great partnership we have with @starkeycares! Excited for the future! #anythingispossible #sonofthecongo
@alt_J: Thank you to @starkeycares for my new aids and for all the help. A very inspiring group of people.
@BilliePerry: It was a blessing to be able to hear Juliana sing a BaBaBeBa song with me for the first time ever @starkeycares
@billclinton: @starkeycares Thank you to a great organization doing important work!
“Blessed day at Yankee Stadium with @starkeycares Bill, Tani, Ron Harper and many others giving the gift of hearing. Thank you @starkeyhearing for the amazing work that you do!” Posted by @thesharkdayond (Daymond John)
“Incredible experience working with @starkeycares outfitting hearing aids on folks in Rio w @aceharper” Tweeted by @mattsorum (Matt Sorum)
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Introducing Phase 4.
Field Notes
Mainstreaming Into Life
The ultimate goal.
For decades we have given the gift of hearing to people in need around the globe, helping them connect with their families and communities.
are not being taught how to hear, listen and speak, granting them far fewer opportunities because they cannot be a part of the hearing world.
We have built and implemented our Community-Based Hearing HealthCare program around the world. Through this model, we partner with local teams to identify potential hearing aid candidates (Phase 1), fit them with hearing aids and custom earmolds (Phase 2), and also provide access to AfterCare (Phase 3), to ensure the people we help can incorporate hearing aids into their daily lives.
To change this trend, our Phase 4 work includes creating Hearing Institutes at existing schools for the deaf and hard of hearing that help teachers better understand the needs of students using hearing aids and equip them with the knowledge and skills to incorporate total communication into their curriculum.
Yet the ultimate goal of the Community-Based Hearing HealthCare program is to empower people so they can become self-determinate, provide for their families, and be able to share their ideas and feelings, which we consider Phase 4. We want to help them “mainstream into life” and become more active members of society who are better able to communicate with family and friends. We also hope to inspire them to reflect caring within their communities to create a compounding positive effect on the future of our world. Mainstreaming into life for children begins with education because it’s such a vital part of shaping their future. However, in many parts of the world the students we fit with hearing aids
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This education also includes teaching parents how to use the hearing aids, how hearing loss can affect their child’s ability to learn language and communicate, and how they should incorporate verbal communication at home. Each student will be closely monitored to track their progress in listening, speech and language. Students who progress to the level of their hearing peers will be given the opportunity to move into mainstream schools. As we continue to build Phase 4, our excitement grows about its potential to make a vast impact in helping many people be included in mainstream society.
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Recognition for life-changing work.
Noteworthy
Bill and Tani’s UN Awards
Amazing achievements.
The inspiring vision and achievements of Starkey Hearing Foundation Founders Bill and Tani Austin were recognized on the international stage as both were presented with prestigious awards from the United Nations for their global humanitarian work. The awards resulted from the couple’s tireless efforts to bring the gift of hearing and understanding to the world. Tani was honored on September 24, 2015 when she was named Female Philanthropist of the Year by the United States Federation for Middle East Peace (USFMEP), which was held at the First Ladies Summit at the UN Headquarters. The event was attended by nearly 300 people, including many world leaders and dignitaries. Jack Brewer, founder and CEO of The Jack Brewer Foundation, who has worked with Starkey Hearing Foundation around the world, nominated her for this award. Brewer is a USFMEP Ambassador for Sport and Peace. “Tani Austin is one of the most inspiring people that I have ever met,” Brewer said. “Her tireless work to bring resources to
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the world’s poorest people should exemplify humanitarianism for generations to come.” On September 26, Bill was honored at the 2015 UN SouthSouth Awards, one of the world’s top global development events aimed at raising awareness about issues like poverty, education and humanitarian work. Bill was presented with the Humanitarian Achievement Award by Academy Award-winner and Foundation friend Forest Whitaker. The ceremony attracted many celebrities, including Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro and Paul Schaeffer, as well as heads of state and global leaders. “The gift of hearing can change a life in an instant, and helps empower people to learn, get jobs and connect to their families and communities in ways they never thought possible,” said Whitaker. “I have partnered with Starkey Hearing Foundation in the field, and seeing someone hear for the first time is an incredible experience that I will never forget. Bill Austin is committed to changing the world one person at a time, and I am excited to honor his efforts.”
Photo courtesy of South-South Awards 2015. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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Recent Missions
Minnesota New York Jordan
Afghanistan
Mexico
China
Haiti Philippines
Panama Kenya Peru
Brazil
Zambia South Africa
August to December 2015
We have delivered the gift of hearing to more than
100 countries.
Hearing loss is the
2nd
most prevalent health issue globally.
Source: http://hearinghealthfoundation.org
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From 2000 to 2015, the number of Americans with hearing loss has
doubled
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Globally, the number is up by 44%.
Source: http://hearinghealthfoundation.org
Using teamwork, we can change the world.
teamwork
noun / teem-wurk / 1. Cooperative effort on the part of a group of persons acting together or in the interests of a common cause. 2. Joint action by a group of people, in which individual interests are subordinated to group unity and efficiency; coordinated effort. 3. The cooperative effort of people for a common end. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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China is considered by many to be the cradle of human civilization, having a rich and diverse history that dates back thousands of years. Throughout its history, China has seen cycles of prosperity and recession — recently with China’s economy vastly on the rise. However, despite China’s progress, an extensive amount of the population remains in poverty. For decades, we have been working to give the gift of hearing to people in need in China. Our goal is to help them be part of China’s improving conditions so they can better provide for themselves and their families and be part of their communities. In mid-August, we continued our work in China as we set out on a 15-day hearing mission to the cities of Chifeng and Yinchuan. We were greeted each day by the hundreds of smiling faces of people who were incredibly thankful to receive their new hearing aids, knowing the positive influence the ability to hear would have in their lives. By the end of the more than two weeks we spent in China, we were able to increase the number of people we’ve helped in the country to more than 20,000 — a true testament of how teamwork and cooperation can make a significant difference in so many lives.
CHINA Chifeng, Yinchuan
Bringing Smiles
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IN YINCHUAN, CHINA, WE WERE ABLE to help 31-year-old Ma Chao, a well-known local artist. He was so ecstatic after we restored his hearing that he invited the team to see his studio and to hear more of his story. He told us that the hearing aids we provided brought a quality to his life he has not experienced before. We were happy to see him communicating on a new level with his family, but we were also impressed with his focus in a noisy environment. Our visit to his studio brought a lot of commotion, but Chao didn’t miss a beat. He happily focused on his paintings, and his face displayed the kind of concentration and attention to detail that is reflected in his work. On our final day in Yinchuan, Chao surprised us by presenting us with a painting he made for our team, a gift that to us was matched only by the giant smile that spread across his face.
Details CITIES
Chifeng, Yinchuan
HEARING MISSION August 2015
POPULATION 1.5 billion+
LANGUAGE Mandarin
RELIGION Buddhism
special thanks: Starkey China : John HU; Southwestern Hearing Aid : Michael and Julie Marino;
Mountain West Hearing Center : Brenda Bennett, Sara Bennett; Breton Steel Inc. : Marco Breton, Jacqueline Breton; Operation Change winners : Marcela Mercer, Michael Hamlin, Sophie Racine, Andrew Racine
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special thanks: Audiology Development Foundation of China : Madame TAO Siliang, WAN Xuanrong; CUI Hengde; WANG Xingning; LI Zhongliang; DONG Liangzhen; SHI Chuanjiang; LOU Xiaoping; LIU Jiguo; ZHU Heping; ZHU Li; HU Fangliang; XU Chaoyou; ZHOU Binde; HU Muying; TANG Shizeng; CHANG Lihong
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SOUTH AFRICA
East London
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E WERE EXCITED WHEN ACADEMY Award-winning actress Charlize Theron expressed interest in working with us. Her charity initiative, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, works with young people to prevent HIV/AIDS and to empower them with the skills and tools they need to live healthy, productive lives. Since we empower people all over the world through hearing, it was a natural pairing for us to come together to give the gift of hearing in South Africa. Theron joined us at a school in East London, where we worked to fit hundreds of children, many of whom had never heard a sound before in their lives.
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Worth singing about. We were all especially touched by the reaction of 13-year-old Khanya. After we connected him to the world of sound, he was so thankful that he began singing and dancing for whole team. We were happy to see the genuine excitement for the future on the faces of the children and their parents and teachers. The teachers told us what the gift of hearing will be able to do for their students’ education. We look forward to seeing the students flourish and grow and to working with Theron’s Africa Outreach Project for years to come.
“It was incredible, and I will never forget it. Particularly because I am a mother to two young kids and to know that
this moment will change a child’s life forever… It was pretty emotional. Hearing is something that is so easy to take for granted. This experience made me even more grateful for what a gift it is.”
Charlize Theron
Details CITY
East London
HEARING MISSION August 2015
POPULATION 53 million+
LANGUAGES
English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Northern Sotho, Venda, Tsonga, Swati, Ndebele
RELIGION After receiving the gift of hearing, 13-year-old Khanya brightened the whole mission site with a song.
Christianity
special thanks: Charlize Theron; Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project ; Pieter-Dirk Uya S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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AFGHANISTAN
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Herat, Mazar, Kabul
Bringing hearing to Afghanistan.
N EARLY 2013, BRADY FORSETH, OUR Executive Director was introduced to Ehsan and Fatema Bayat, Cofounders of the Bayat Foundation. There was an almost instant connection between the two organizations, and we began discussing how our organizations could work together to bring the gift of hearing to the people of Afghanistan. The Bayats had tears in their eyes as Brady described the Foundation’s life-changing work, and without delay they agreed to an annual commitment to help bring our efforts to Afghanistan. The first of these hearing missions took place in October 2014 when we teamed up the Bayat Foundation to fit more than 1,700 patients with new hearing aids in Kabul. The Bayats loved the immediate impact they could see in the lives of the Afghans who gained the ability to hear, including hundreds of children. But they
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also saw the impact over time and how the children took huge leaps forward, so they vowed to help even more people in 2015. That goal became a reality in August as Starkey Hearing Foundation was able to fit more than 2,000 patients in Kabul, Herat and Mazar. With two successful hearing missions complete and AfterCare work going strong in Afghanistan, both Starkey Hearing Foundation and the Bayat Foundation are excited to continue helping Afghans in need through hearing. “I am honored and pleased to be part of such an important cause,” Mr. Bayat said. “Hearing aids upgrade the quality of life, afford new opportunities and provide a sense of freedom to people who were once bound by silence. I admire the work that Starkey [Hearing Foundation] does across the globe, and I am glad to partner with them.”
“We truly value our partnership with the Starkey [Hearing] Foundation,” Mrs. Bayat said.
“Together, we have been able to change the lives of over 2,000 individuals who would have otherwise been labeled as deaf and isolated from the rest of the Afghan community. Starkey helped us make such a huge difference to the lives of the hearing impaired, and we are so thankful for the relationship.”
Details CITIES
Herat, Mazar, Kabul
HEARING MISSION August 2015
POPULATION 30.5 million+
LANGUAGES Pashto, Dari
RELIGION Islam
special thanks: Bayat Foundation S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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KENYA Eldoret
A 21st century upgrade.
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HILE HALF OF THE TEAM WAS working in Afghanistan, the other half of the team traveled to Eldoret, Kenya. The area is a famous destination for athletes, especially distance runners, to go to train because of the conditions brought by the rarefied air in altitudes that can reach more than 7,000 feet above sea level. We were able to fit hundreds of patients in Eldoret, including James Shalumba, a pastor who lost his ability to hear in 2007, when tiles from a decaying roof fell on his head as he passed by on the street. James wasn’t going to let the accident prevent him from preaching, but since he didn’t have the resources to get hearing aids, he designed a hearing aid out of Walkman parts and duct tape. He came to see us in Eldoret still wearing his self-designed hearing aid. We were impressed with the ingenuity of his design, but he admitted it wasn’t a perfect
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solution and was thrilled when we were able to fit him with modern digital hearing aids. At the end of the day, James gave us his self-made design as a show of gratitude for his new hearing aids. While in Eldoret, we were fortunate enough to run into AfterCare patient Emmanuel, age 13, who we fit with hearing aids in March 2014. He was helping his mother sell peanuts and was in great spirits. When we originally fit him, he was not speaking, but when we caught up with him a year later, Emmanuel was proud to show off how much his speech has improved. He also talked at length about how happy he was to be in school now that he can hear the teachers. It’s always great to come back and see the positive impact the gift of hearing can have on someone’s life!
James displaying his self-made hearing device he made from a Walkman.
Emmanuel proudly helping his mother sell peanuts.
Smiles all around as Tani fits James with his new modern hearing aids.
Details CITY
Eldoret
HEARING MISSION August 2015
POPULATION 44.4 million+
LANGUAGES Swahili, English
RELIGION Christianity
special thanks: Gyl Kasewurm S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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Alaa gives a thumbs up after receiving his hearing aids.
JORDAN
I
Amman
Joy in a troubled area.
T’S NO SECRET THAT THE CIVIL WAR IN Syria has created terrible hardships for the people in the region, taking many lives and leaving millions displaced and struggling to get by. We wanted to do what we could to help. We worked to get a special permit to go into a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan, and we were able to fit hearing aids for more than 200 people struggling with hearing loss. Many of these refugees walked miles through temperatures that sometimes topped 120 degrees to reach safety. Yet despite these harsh conditions, it was heartwarming to see the joy displayed by so
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many of the people to whom we were able to give the gift of hearing. One particularly touching story is of 13-year-old Alaa. He lost his hearing more than a year earlier when a bomb went off near his house in Syria. As conditions forced him and his father to move to a refugee camp, Alaa became very disconnected from the world around him. After being fit with hearing aids, however, he began smiling and responding to our team members who worked with him. His father commented on how much more connected Alaa seemed immediately after getting his hearing restored.
WHILE WORKING IN Jordan we were delighted to help 5-year-old Rayan, who showed up wearing a full Spider-Man suit. It was inspiring to see such a young person who was growing up in a turbulent area say that he wants to be a hero. We hope that by connecting him to the world of sound, we can help him follow that dream.
Details CITY
Amman
HEARING MISSION September 2015
POPULATION 6.5 million+
LANGUAGE Arabic
RELIGION
Sunni Muslim
special thanks: International Medical Corps Jordan ; Your Choice Hearing ; Dr. Lina Hamidi; Dr. Folaranmi Ogunbowale
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Toribio family smiling after receiving hearing aids.
PANAMA Panama City
A collision of cultures.
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ANAMA CITY IS A COLLISION OF CULTURES stemming from centuries of being a center for trade and immigration. It’s also a stunning urban setting filled with skyscrapers that is reminiscent of Miami but at the same time is a gateway to a breathtaking tropical rainforest. Our hearing mission in Panama followed the trend of the highly mixed culture of the city as we were able to help hundreds of people coming from a vast variety of backgrounds.
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While in Panama, we were thrilled we could help the Toribio family. All three sisters struggled with profound hearing loss, and their mother talked about the difficulties the family experienced when trying to communicate and connect. Fortunately, our team was there to help, and we fit the three sisters with hearing aids. It was a powerful sight to see them communicating with their mother and their little brother, Lenin. We will always remember the smiles on their faces.
Details CITY
Panama City
HEARING MISSION September 2015
POPULATION 3.8 million+
LANGUAGE Spanish
RELIGION
Roman Catholicism
special thanks: Dr. Guillermo Rodriguez; Starkey Mexico S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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Alimwi hears for the first time.
ZAMBIA Lusaka
40 years of silence.
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HILE HALF OF THE MISSION TEAM was working to give the gift of hearing in Panama, the other half of the team was working on the same thing more than 7,500 miles away in Lusaka, Zambia. We were delighted to be joined by the first lady of Zambia, Esther Lungu. It was motivating to see the passion she showed for helping to provide hearing for the people of Zambia. We were also thrilled to have with us Zambian native Portia Clark, who was fresh off of her
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performance at the 2015 So the World May Hear Awards Gala, and her husband, Brendan. They worked tirelessly with us as we changed the lives of hundreds of people each day. One patient who will always stay with us is fiveyear-old Alimwi. After we fit him with hearing aids and he began hearing for the first time, his priceless laughter rang throughout the mission site.
AVALESS LUNGO LOST HER HEARING when she was struck with smallpox at age 13, while growing up in Tanzania. As she grew older and had a family, Avaless had a difficult time communicating and eventually stopped speaking altogether. She couldn’t hear the voices of her five children, which of course made it challenging to be a mother. She lived like this for more than 40 years, until she met us! She was beyond thrilled to have her hearing restored and quickly began to speak again. “It was a miracle. I couldn’t believe what was happening,” Avaless said about being able to hear again. “The first thing I did was go to church. I was singing all the songs and was able to hear what the pastor was preaching!”
Portia and Brendan Clark smile after helping a young patient.
Details CITY
Lusaka
HEARING MISSION September 2015
POPULATION 14.5 million+
LANGUAGE English
RELIGION Christianity
special thanks: Dr. Alfred Mwamba; Kelvin Mulenga; Portia and Brendan Clark; Tim Ebbers S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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BRAZIL Rio de Janeiro
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Teaming up with Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Vampires.
ORMALLY, IN MOST ASSOCIATIONS between hearing and rock ’n’ roll, hearing loss is caused by loud music, but in Rio de Janeiro, we teamed up with Johnny Depp and the Hollywood Vampires to flip that script.
While it was great to see the band members’ passion, it was also amazing to see the faces of the patients as they were connected to the world of sound. Many were able to hear their families and experience the joy of music for the first time.
We provided the gift of hearing to more than 200 children and adults with the help of the band, including Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Bruce Witkin and Tommy Henriksen. We were also delighted to be joined by Amber Heard, Sergio Mendes, Zak Starkey and the Queens of the Stone Age — Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Fertita, Michael Shuman and Jon Theodore.
Following the hearing aid fittings, we transported recipients to the Hollywood Vampires’ performance at the Rock in Rio festival, giving them the rare opportunity to see these rock legends perform as part of their very limited engagement tour and the chance to experience the thrill of hearing music.
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“For these people to hear for the first time in years, it’s an amazing thing to see. Normally you give money, or you do a concert, but rarely do you get your hands in there and physically do it. What an experience.” Alice Cooper
“It’s an amazing opportunity for us to be able to experience something like this … to be able to give this gift that Bill [Austin] has so generously created. To be able to help these kids, to be able to help these people is amazing.” Johnny Depp
Details CITY
Rio de Janeiro
HEARING MISSION September 2015
POPULATION 200 million+
LANGUAGE Portuguese
RELIGION Bill Austin and Billie and Joe Perry are all smiles after helping this young patient.
Roman Catholicism
special thanks: Starkey Brazil ; Marco Ferreira; Naile Lopes; Hollywood Vampires : Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Bruce Witkin, Tommy Henriksen, Shep Gordon; Bob Ezrin; Sergio Mendes; Noah McMahon; Zac Starkey; Amber Heard; Josh Homme; Troy Van Leeuwen; Dean Fertita; Michael Shuman; Jon Theodore
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Amber Heard shows her emotion after witnessing the gift of hearing.
Matt Sorum shares a smile with a patient next to Johnny Depp and Bill Austin.
Steven Sawalich and Shep Gordon help give the gift of hearing.
Duff McKagan works to fit a patient.
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Photos by Vivian Fernandez/Getty Images for Starkey Hearing Foundation 2015. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
Bob Ezrin helps change a life.
Bill Austin and Sergio Mendes happy to see a successful fitting.
Josh Homme shares a touching moment with a patient.
Tommy Henriksen and Bruce Witkin connect a woman to the world of sound.
special thanks: Comercio Aparelhos Auditvos Ltda ; Buss e Schimuneck Com. Apar. Auditivos Ltda ;
L.M. Bortholuzzi e Cia Ltda. ; Audimax Aparelhos Auditivos Ltda. ; Audiotijuca Comercio de Aparelhos Auditvos Ltda. ; Ouvesom Com. E Import. Ltda. ; Instituto de Saude Aud. Do Rio de Janeiro–Saude Auditiva
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NEW YORK
T
New York City
Caring for Holocaust survivors.
HIS FALL, WE TEAMED UP WITH THE New York Yankees, Minnesota Vikings, Wilf Family Foundation and The Jewish Federations of North America to provide free hearing aids to people in need at Yankee Stadium. The nearly 100 recipients ranged in age from four to 93 and included 15 Holocaust survivors. We worked hand-in-hand with New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, former Yankees players Tino Martinez and Lee Mazzilli, Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf, Vikings owner and vice chairman Lenny Wilf, former NBA champion
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Ron Harper, television personality Daymond John and others to reflect caring and change lives. It was especially meaningful to share the gift of hearing with more than a dozen Holocaust survivors who have been through so much and were struggling to connect to their families and communities because of hearing loss. We were touched by their stories and perseverance, and many told us that watching the reactions of the children being fit with hearing aids was even more special than being fit themselves!
“Being part of a family who are Holocaust survivors, this is an extremely important cause. If we can play a role in bettering the lives of these survivors and children in need, we need to participate. We appreciate the opportunity Starkey Hearing Foundation has provided for the Vikings organization and our family to join forces with the Yankees on this endeavor.� Mark and Lenny Wilf stand proudly with Bill and Tani Austin after fitting a Holocaust survivor.
Lenny Wilf
Yankees manager Joe Girardi helps give the gift of hearing.
Details CITY
New York City
HEARING MISSION September 2015
special thanks: Wilf Family Foundation ; Lenny Wilf; Mark Wilf; The Jewish Federation of
North America ; New York Yankees : Joe Girardi, Doug Behar, Cindy Kamradt, Aaron Pickus; Tino Martinez; Lee Mazzilli
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Daymond John gives a thumbs up after watching a young patient get fit.
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KOZA IS A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR and had the team in tears as she shared her excitement about being able to hear and communicate again after struggling with hearing loss for years.
Tino Martinez and Lee Mazzilli smile after watching a patient get the gift of hearing.
Ron Harper helps us change a young girl’s life.
special thanks: Daymond John; Ron Harper; Delta Zeta Sorority Volunteers ; Total Hearing Care ; Brentwood Public Schools ; McGuires Hearing ; Long Island Hearing ; New York Ear ; Acousticon
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Mario after having his hearing restored.
MEXICO Tlaxcala, Toluca
Better hearing habits.
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FTER A BRIEF REPRIEVE, THE TEAM began an incredible 67-day run giving the gift of hearing. The first stop on this lengthy expedition was Mexico, where we spent a day in Tlaxcala before spending the next nine days in Toluca. Starkey Hearing Foundation has been conducting hearing missions in Mexico since the beginning of our mission work, and it has been our most frequented mission location outside of the United States. Because of our extensive experience working in Mexico, our team has become exceedingly efficient in the country. In 10 days, we were able to give the gift of hearing to more than 6,000 people. One moving story from Toluca was that of Mario. He used to love mountain biking, but he would do so while listening to incredibly loud music on his headphones. Eventually his ears gave way from
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the intense sound, and he suffered noise-induced hearing loss. This not only took away mountain biking from Mario, but he rarely left his home because he was afraid that he could not hear his surroundings. He lived in isolation for more than 11 years, until we were able to restore his hearing. Mario was so unbelievably excited to be hearing again that he cried with joy. He talked at length about how he now understands what an incredible gift hearing truly is. While we were thrilled to be able to restore Mario’s hearing, his story reflects the importance of our Listen Carefully message. Noise-induced hearing loss, in most cases, is 100 percent preventable. We hope stories like Mario’s serve as a reminder for all to use better listening habits.
special thanks: Hear For You : Andrew Roth; LSTN Sound Co. : Bridget Hilton, Joe Huff, Max
Fronek, Zoya Biglary; NuEar : Mary Rose Ciuccio-Powell; NewSound Hearing Aid Centers : Jeremy Kier, Anthony McLean, Rebecca Measells, Ben Schultz
A FAVORITE PATIENT OF OURS in Toluca was four-year-old Eduardo. When he came to us, he had never heard a sound before, but his face immediately lit up when he began hearing for the first time. His parents matched Eduardo’s excitement, talking about his ability to grow and learn with hearing. It was especially touching to see the joy shared by the whole family when Eduardo could hear his little sister speak. The two of them remained inseparable the rest of the time they were at the mission site.
Details CITIES
Tlaxcala, Toluca
HEARING MISSION October 2015
POPULATION 122 million+
LANGUAGE Spanish
RELIGION
Roman Catholicism
special thanks: Starkey U winners : Jared Anderson, Michala DeMars; Starkey Entrepreneurial students : Candance Coleman, Brittany Renne, Hershel Korngut, Lauren Liebig
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PERU
30 Days in Peru
PERU
Iquitos, Piura, Chiclayo
A gift for a teacher.
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OLLOWING OUR WORK IN MEXICO, THE team wasted no time traveling south to Peru, where our work dates back to 2001.
was battling cholera, and while he was able to beat the disease, it unfortunately left him without his hearing.
Over the years, we’ve been able to grow to help more and more communities in Peru, with this 30day mission being one of our biggest yet.
Cesar continued his work as a primary school teacher, but there were many challenges involved with not being able to hear his students. He was very excited when he came to our mission site in Piura, and very quickly we were able to restore his hearing. “I thank God for this miracle and gift that was given to me by Starkey,” Cesar said. “I can’t wait to go back to class now!”
We hit the ground running, helping between 500 and 600 people a day in our first cities of Iquitos, Piura and Chiclayo. In Piura, we came across 58-year-old Cesar Agusto. While we often talk about the importance hearing plays in the role of education, most of the time that involves students, but in the case of Cesar, it meant helping a teacher. More than 15 years ago, Cesar
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It’s a great honor for us to be able to help someone working so hard to help lead young students toward bright futures.
special thanks: Sandi Young; Delta Zeta Sorority : Cindy and Mike Menges; Aspen Creek Investments LTD : Dave Lambert; Columbia Basin Hearing Center : Neil Aiello
WHILE IN CHICLAYO, we were thrilled to be able to restore the hearing of Ysabel and were shocked to learn that she was 101 years old. She talked to us about how she’s always found it important to take the time to take care of herself. We were certainly impressed by her passion and can only hope to look that good after living for more than a century. 58-year-old Cesar Agusto
Details CITIES
Iquitos, Piura, Chiclayo
HEARING MISSION October 2015
POPULATION 30 million+
LANGUAGE Spanish
RELIGION
Roman Catholicism
special thanks: Taylor Corporation : Steve and Kate Singer; Justin and Kristi Osmond;
EarQ : Ed Keller, Zak Keller, Cliff Carey, Andrew Hebert, Brenna Besemer; Naomi Abraham, Rahel Aron; Natalie Phillips; D’Anne Rudden
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Alfredo and Maximiliana
PERU Trujillo, Cajamarca
The gift of music.
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FTER WRAPPING UP IN CHICLAYO, OUR team’s attention then turned to Trujillo. We wasted no time in getting to work, helping fit more than 1,000 patients in the two days we were there. One moving story that came out of Trujillo was that of Alfredo and Maximiliana. The couple has been married for an incredible 64 years. They told us about how they fell in love as teenagers, and their passion has never subsided, even with both having hearing difficulties as they aged. They were overjoyed when we fit them with new hearing aids. Before they left, they were already joking with us about how they’ll now be able to communicate without shouting.
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Following Trujilo, we then moved on to Cajamarca. The Yanacocha gold mine had once brought many people and resources to the area. However, more recently as mining has dwindled, many locals have been left to fend for themselves. Our team came in ready to help by giving hearing to those in need. Thankfully, our timing was perfect as the Carnaval de Cajamarca was taking place. It was great to see so many people who we just gave the gift of hearing listen to the music that accompanied the incredible displays of local culture.
special thanks: Sandi Young; Aspen Creek Investments LTD : Dave Lambert; Columbia Basin Hearing Center : Neil Aiello; Michael Kors : Hannah Rhee
WE SEE A WIDE VARIETY OF reactions from people who receive the gift of hearing. While every emotional response is touching, it was an especially stirring moment in Trujillo when, after getting fit with hearing aids, Teresa got up to dance with her fitter, Kevin. Her celebration after she heard for the first time in more than 10 years brightened everyone’s day, and she was so thrilled with Kevin that she invited him back to her home to cook for him.
Details CITIES
Trujillo, Cajamarca
HEARING MISSION October 2015
special thanks: NewSound Hearing Aid Centers : Cade Simpson, Lee Ann George, Lilly Salazar, Elaine Dearen, Paula Kleck, Larry Espinoza; Natalie Phillips; D’Anne Rudden
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Maria and Juan share a kiss after receiving the gift of hearing.
PERU Huancayo, Pucallpa
Years of love.
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UR TEAM’S 30-DAY TREK ACROSS PERU then took us to Huancayo, the capital of the Junín Region in the central plains highlands.
Pucallpa. We wasted no time in keeping the pace as we fit thousands with hearing aids during our three-day stop there.
As we had through the beginning of our work in Peru, we continued to give the gift of hearing at an incredible rate, fitting more than 500 patients per day. The smiles and genuine gratefulness displayed by so many that we helped continued to renew our energy day in and day out.
One story that brightened everyone’s time in Pucallpa was when we restored the hearing for Juan and Maria, a couple married for 62 years. Juan was so excited he leaned in and gave Maria a big kiss. This loving pair talked at length about how excited they were to be able to communicate with hearing again.
After three successful days of helping people in Huancayo, we then took the 350-mile journey to
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special thanks: NewSound Hearing Aid Centers : Cade Simpson, Lee Ann George, Lilly Salazar, Elaine Dearen, Paula Kleck, Larry Espinoza; A&A Hearing Group : Ross and Jenifer Cushing
WHILE IN HUANCAYO, WE CAUGHT UP WITH YOUNG JESUS Angel, who was originally fit by recording artist Matt Nathanson in 2014. We were thrilled to see him smiling and healthy and to hear that he’s doing great in school with his hearing aids!
Details CITIES
Huancayo, Pucallpa
HEARING MISSION October 2015
special thanks: Sandi Young; Michael Kors : Hannah Rhee; Maria Plasencia Quinones; Franco Encinas; Christian Alva Tataje; Angela Maria Ardon Moncada; Barry and Christine Lydon; Javier Zegarra
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PERU
One big, happy family.
Chimbote, Arequipa, Lima
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UR TEAM BEGAN ITS FINAL LEG OF OUR work in Peru by stopping in Chimbote, the country’s largest fishing port. Unfortunately, decades of overfishing in the area has decimated the fish population and left many to struggle to find new ways to earn an income. It was a great delight to be able to provide thousands of hearing aids to the people of Chimbote in hopes that it will help improve their ability to provide for themselves and their families. We then moved on to Arequipa, where we continued to provide the gift of hearing for people in need.
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While in Arequipa, we met Luis. He told us all about his large family, which includes 17 children and 49 grandchildren. His excitement burst throughout the site when we were able to restore his hearing. He talked about how happy he was that he’ll be able to have conversations with his family again. We wrapped up our month-long journey around Peru by stopping in Lima, the country’s capital and largest city. Our efforts worked to match the size of the giant, sprawling city as we fit more than 600 patients per day.
IN AREQUIPA, WE WERE ABLE TO RESTORE 77-year-old Manuel’s hearing. He loves being a nutrition teacher, but unfortunately as his hearing worsened with age, he was forced to reduce his work with students. However, now that we have reconnected him to the world of sound with hearing aids, he was overjoyed that he’ll be able to increase his teaching role again. He left our hearing mission site saying, “Thank you to God for this second chance in life!”
Luis reflects on being able to hear his family again.
Details CITIES
Chimbote, Arequipa, Lima
HEARING MISSION November 2015
special thanks: Natural Hearing Centers : Dan and Angela DeLong; South Suburban Hearing Health
Center : Jonathan Wright; Athens Hearing Center : Susan Holland, Tina Elkins; Maria Plasencia Quinones; Franco Encinas; Christian Alva Tataje
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SOUTH AFRICA
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Nelspruit
S OUR MISSION TEAM GEARED UP TO travel from Peru to the Philippines we joined forces with Sir Richard Branson and his Virgin Unite team to continue to give hearing at the Bhubezi Healthcare Clinic in South Africa. The Virgin Unite clinic provides healthcare for people in rural South Africa who otherwise would have no access to health services. Their commitment to making a sustainable system of care is what has made them a great partner to Starkey Hearing Foundation.
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Stepping into a world of sound. This mission gave hearing aids to many children and adults, allowing them to connect with hearing to their families and communities. “Starkey has been at our clinic four years in a row and each year is as magical as the last,” said Branson. “Lots of wonderful people have come together to make this possible.” We’re thrilled that our ongoing connection with Branson and Virgin Unite is continuing to help us make a positive impact on people in South Africa.
Photos by John Armstrong Photography 2015. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
ONE ESPECIALLY TOUCHING moment during our hearing mission in South Africa took place with the first patient Sir Richard Branson visited. When Branson went to go fit hearing aids on Mpho Khoza, he thought he would just be warming up for the day and getting back into the groove of fitting patients like he has several times before. However, he wasn’t ready for the emotional response Mpho gave when she received the gift of hearing. “She burst into tears, I burst into tears, we all burst into tears when she realized she could hear,” said Branson. “It’s just the most wonderful thing.” It never gets old seeing patients we help tear with joy as their hearing aids help them into the world of sound.
Details CITY
Nelspruit
HEARING MISSION November 2015
special thanks: Sir Richard Branson; Virgin Unite S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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PHILIPPINES
A
Tarlac, Manila
Thankful in the Philippines.
FTER A VERY BRIEF BREAK IN THE action, our team traveled more than 11,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean to return to the Philippines. Our first stop was in the city of Tarlac, a bustling town that has seen its population boom from 200,000 in 1990 to now more than 320,000 people. We jumped right in helping give hearing to more than 1,000 patients during our two-day stay. We then moved on to the capital city of the Philippines, Manila. Known for being the most densely populated city in the world, we took that as an opportunity to help give the gift of hearing in Manila to as many people as possible. One incredibly moving story from Manila came from cancer patient Dolores. She was struggling with cancer and came to our site in an ambulance with much of her family. As soon as we were able to restore her hearing, Dolores began speaking with
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her family, and they began yelling with excitement knowing she could hear them. It was very rewarding to be able to connect Dolores back to her family as she goes through a difficult time with her health. We also met eight-year-old John. He had an incredibly infectious smile, and for more than half his life, he has been dealing with cholesteatoma, which left him with significant hearing loss. However, once we fit John with hearing aids, he was grinning from ear to ear. You couldn’t wipe the smile off his dad’s face either, who was excited for how much the hearing aids are going to help John get an education. After our final day of mission work in Manila, our team was able to sit down together and celebrate Thanksgiving with a festive dinner at the University of Santo Tomas.
special thanks: Hearing Solutions : Michelle and Whitney Scott; Bayat Foundation : Monty Simus;
ON Semiconductor : Bob Klosterboer; Dreve Otoplastik : Dr. Volker Dreve; Dr. JP Souaid; J.B. Robillard
Details CITIES
Tarlac, Manila
HEARING MISSION November 2015
POPULATION 98 million+
LANGUAGE Filipino
RELIGION Tani fitting Dolores.
Christianity
special thanks: Jessica Sanchez; Evelyn Cuevas; Kim Brown; Lauren Hancock; Joe and Pat
Manhart; Aileen Dalton; Maria, Gabriel and Lara Ramalho; Rob Hamilton; Jennifer Ross; Rad Kivette; Manfred Stoif l; Dr. Yos Phanita; H.E. Lork Kheng; Brian Hilabus; Thuy Ha Nguyen; Van Hai Hoang
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John and his father.
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Golden Cross Award Bill Austin accepts the University of Santo Tomas’s Golden Cross Award. Starkey Hearing Foundation has been giving the gift of hearing in the Philippines since 2011, but Bill Austin has been changing the lives of people in need for more than 50 years. When you dedicate your life to helping others and provide more than 1.8 million free hearing aids in over 100 countries, people notice. On November 27, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), the oldest higher learning institution in Asia, recognized Bill’s life of giving back by awarding him their highest honor, the UST Golden Cross Award. The UST Golden Cross Award recognizes Bill for his tireless efforts to reflect caring and use hearing as a vehicle to change lives throughout the world. UST has become a great partner in the Philippines, and Bill and the team were in the country for the ceremony and also to provide hearing aids and care to more than 9,000 Filipinos over the course of three weeks. The UST Golden Cross is the highest award granted by the university. It is given to individuals who excel in the promotion
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of the arts, humanities, and sciences, or have distinguished themselves by their total commitment to the service of humankind. The award has only been given out 10 previous times in the more than the 400 year history of UST. Past recipients of the UST Golden Cross include His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain, H.E. Madame Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, Pres. Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, former president of the Philippines, and other leaders and dignitaries. “I’m extremely honored to receive the UST Golden Cross Award,” said Austin. “I’m also very humbled, as I consider it a blessing to be able to share the gift of hearing with people in the Philippines and other countries around the world. I am deeply moved by how people — even if they don’t speak the same language — embrace the chance to share kindness, empathy and generosity. We feel very blessed to be able to do this work.”
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PHILIPPINES
General Santos, Cagayan de Oro
Hearing in the dark.
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UR TEAM CONTINUED TO WORK THEIR way around the Philippines by stopping in General Santos, the country’s southernmost city.
university town was bustling with energy and we worked to match it stride by stride as we gave the gift of hearing.
At one point while working in General Santos, our mission site experienced a complete power outage. Left in the dark, our team didn’t skip a beat to continue to help patients. Some team members grabbed any light they could find and continued to work inside, while others helped move patients outside to fit them in the sunlight. Despite the obstacles, we were still able to help more than 400 patients that day.
In Cagayan de Oro, we were fortunate to catch up with seven-year-old Gabby. When we originally fit her with hearing aids in 2014, her father thought that she may not have much longer because she suffered from a heart condition and desperately needed open-heart surgery to survive. Bill and Tani didn’t hesitate to give their assistance to make sure Gabby got the healthcare she needed. Now almost a year removed from the successful surgery, we were thrilled to see Gabby at our hearing mission looking very healthy and happy. It was wonderful to hear she’s now enrolled in school and doing very well.
Our team then stayed on the south side of the Philippines as we traveled to Cagayan de Oro. The
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ONE PATIENT WHO BRIGHTENED THE entire hearing mission in General Santos was oneyear-old Marianne. Marianne had never heard a sound before in her young life, and it was fantastic to see her face light up after she received her hearing aids and heard her first sounds. Her mother had tears of joy seeing her child be able to hear her voice, and our team was very emotional seeing a life connected to the world of sound.
Details CITIES
General Santos, Cagayan de Oro
HEARING MISSION December 2015
special thanks: Robillard Hearing Centres : J.B. Robillard; Dr. JP Souaid; Dr. Robert Ang; Dr. Salve Olaia S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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PHILIPPINES
Bacolod, Tagbilaran, Bohol, Cebu
T
22 days in the Philippines.
HE FINAL LEG OF OUR 22-DAY VENTURE to give hearing in the Philippines began by stopping in Bacolod. In this highly urbanized city, known for being a central hub of the sugar industry, we were continually greeted with bright smiles of more than 500 patients a day who received hearing aids. We then headed to Tagbilaran, the name of which is derived from two Visayan words that mean ‘hidden shelter’ (tago bilaan). Our work there was anything but hidden as we were thrilled to see the thousands of Filipinos who we were able to help give hearing at our mission site.
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Our final hearing mission of 2015 in the Philippines took place in Cebu. In an area that serves as a center of commerce and trade for the Philippines, we were able to finish strong giving the gift of hearing to people in need. In total we gave hearing aids to more than 8,000 people during our time in the Philippines and we’re already looking forward to the next time our team can return.
AL “SANDY” MUNROE HAS A SPECIAL GROUP of students at the school he oversees in Cebu who he knew would have their lives changed if they could get access to hearing aids. He worked tirelessly trying to find a way to get these 11 students the hearing assistance they needed. Of the “2,253” emails he sent trying to find help, one of them finally landed in the inbox of our Executive Director, Brady Forseth. From there, everything fell into place. All the connections needed were established to make it possible for these children to be seen during our hearing mission in Cebu. All 11 students who we saw at our mission site were able to get the hearing aids they needed, and instantly we could see their faces light up as they entered into a world of sound. When the students returned to school, what was once a very quiet classroom erupted to be full of sound as these students began learning with hearing. They are working to imitate and speak the words they are hearing, and their teachers are very excited about helping these students get an education that includes both hearing and speaking.
Details CITIES
Bacolod, Tagbilaran, Bohol, Cebu
HEARING MISSION December 2015
special thanks: Dr. Robert Ang; Dr. Salve Olaia; Knowles : Joseph Liwag, John Rodack; IDEA: Jopeth Laguna; Maria Evelyn Thai
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HAITI
Teaming up in Haiti.
GonaĂ?ves, Saint-Marc, Croix-des-Bouquets, Turgeau
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UR FINAL INTERNATIONAL HEARING mission of 2015 took place in Haiti, capping off an incredible run of 11 consecutive weeks of mission work.
However, despite the hardships, it was incredibly heartwarming to see joy shown by the more than 1,000 people we were able to give the gift of hearing in Haiti.
Nearly six years removed from a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that shook an already troubled country to its core, Haiti still remains in vast disarray.
We were thrilled to be joined in Haiti by Cy Young Award winning pitcher Barry Zito, boxing champion Andre Berto, NFL star Jack Brewer, Delta Zeta Sorority National President Diane Stecher, Nina Hale and a fantastic Audigy Group team. All wasted no time jumping in with the rest of the mission team to work to give hearing to Haitians in need.
Haiti’s difficulties in improving the quality of life for its citizens have worn especially hard for those living with hearing loss. Thousands of people who lack the ability to hear, and are already living in impoverished conditions, have had an even more difficult time trying to better their lives and their families.
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special thanks: Audigy Group : Brandon Dawson, Natalie Workman, Dr. Michael Workman,
Ricardo Rodriguez, Meredith Wilken, John Curran, Andy Birchfield; Delta Zeta Sorority : Diane Stecher; Nina Hale, Inc. : Nina Hale; Leslie Hale; Taylor Parr
IT WAS GREAT TO BE JOINED IN HAITI BY 15-year-old Jack McConnell. Born with hearing loss, he was fit with his first set of hearing aids at just six weeks old. Because he received hearing aids at such an early age, he was able to develop speech and incorporate hearing into his life. Even while still in elementary school, Jack realized that there are many people across the world living with hearing loss similar to his that have no access to hearing aids. While researching what he could do to help, he discovered Starkey Hearing Foundation and was inspired by the vision of Bill Austin. Jack connected with Bill, and since he was 12-yearsold, he has joined us on hearing missions around the world, including stops in Peru, Ghana and Nicaragua before coming with us to Haiti. Jack’s dedication to giving back now serves as tremendous inspiration for all.
Jack Brewer
Details CITIES
GonaĂ?ves, Saint-Marc, Croix-desBouquets, Turgeau
HEARING MISSION December 2015
POPULATION 10 million+
LANGUAGE
Haitian Creole French
RELIGION Diane Stecher
Roman Catholicism
special thanks: 20/20 Hearing : Jack McConnell, Matt McConnell; Dr. Robert Dean; The Jack Brewer Foundation : Jack Brewer; Andre Berto; Dr. Reginald Pereira; Barry Zito
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Barry Zitto
Nina Hale
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Andre Berto
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Adrian Peterson
MINNESOTA
B
Eden Prairie
Giving hearing with the Vikings.
EFORE WE SAID GOODBYE TO 2015, WE were joined by the Minnesota Vikings for the thirdannual hearing mission at our headquarters in Eden Prairie. It was smiles all around as a cast of more than a dozen current and former Vikings players, including longtime friends of the Foundation Adrian Peterson, Kyle Rudolph, Carl Eller, Chuck Foreman and Matt Blair, joined us in the heart of the holiday season to spread cheer by giving the gift of hearing. Also on hand was Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor, who has been helping us give hearing for many years.
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It was fantastic to see so many big names of the Minnesota sports scene jump right in to brighten the holidays for local people in need. The smiling faces of the people who received hearing aids and their families made for perfect close to an amazing 2015. “This goes to show the heart of people around this community,” Peterson said following the mission. “Starkey Hearing Foundation opens the door for so many children and adults to be able to hear again. It’s a wonderful feeling to be a part of it.”
special thanks: Minnesota Vikings : Adrian Peterson, Kyle Rudolph, T.J. Clemmings, Jerick McKinnon, Mike Wallace, Zach Line, Edmond Robinson, Blake Renaud
Carl Eller, Edmond Robinson, Mike Wallace, Zach Line, Blake Renaud, Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon
Kyle Rudolph
Paul Molitor
Details CITY
Eden Prairie
HEARING MISSION December 2015
special thanks: Carl Eller; Chuck Foreman; Matt Blair; Dave Osborn; Rickey Young; Paul Molitor; Aly Samabaly; Delta Zeta Sorority : Diane Stecher, Cindy Menges, Barb Brotherton, Virginia Loftin
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T.J. Clemmings
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Delta Zeta Tops Off an Incredible Day.
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ELTA ZETA SORORITY JOINED US AT our headquarters to present a generous $500,000 donation to Starkey Hearing Foundation. The donation was part of Delta Zeta’s commitment to raise $5 million for the Foundation over the next five years. Delta Zeta has supported hearing philanthropy since the 1940’s and has been a great supporter of us for many years. We’re delighted that our continued partnership will help give the gift of hearing around the world for years to come.
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Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2015, 3:25pm To: Hear Now Subject: Looking for Help to Hear — Antonio Marquez To Starkey Hearing Foundation, My name is Jennifer; sister of Antonio Marquez. This might be a long shot to get help. I know you get 100s of requests but I really wanted to ask for help. My brother is currently 20 years old and has hearing loss in both ears. He is an American citizen born in Dallas, TX but when little we were taken to Mexico to live over there. When he was just a baby he caught a very bad cold. His temperature was very high and my mom took him to a clinic in a small town. My brother was allergic to penicillin. My mom made the doctor and nurse aware but due to negligence he was given a shot of penicillin that caused my brother a very strong allergic reaction where he almost lost his vision. With treatments he got better and his vision improved but he suffered loss in both of his ears. We returned to the U.S. but due to my step dad and mom getting separated, my mom left back to Mexico and took him with her. I ended up here alone living in my aunt’s house and working trying to support myself. Antonio was in Mexico for almost 4 years and in those 4 years he had been working in shoe factorys painting tennis shoes. He did not attend school over there and did not have hearing aids due to not being able to afford them. He is back here in the U.S. currently living with me. I feel lost, I want to help him but it’s really hard for me having an 18 month old baby, a full time job, a husband that is deployed in Afghanistan and I honestly can’t keep up. I want him to hear so that he can feel comfortable working and not afraid because he is deaf. I want him to be able to succeed and be inspired and not live in a world of silence. Hope to hear from you soon if there is any chance we can receive help for him. Sincerely, Jennifer Marquez
Hearing for the Holidays Upon reading Jennifer’s plea for help in early December, we worked diligently to provide all the travel arrangements to have Antonio, Jennifer and her 18-month-old daughter Olyesya come from Texas to the Twin Cities to be part of the Vikings hearing mission. In just a few short weeks, the family joined us at our headquarters. While still not knowing what to expect, and still in disbelief that they were being shown such kindness, they came in hoping that Antonio would be able to hear for the holidays.
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Antonio’s hearing exam showed his hearing loss to be very profound, but our team worked to find the hearing aids needed to get him to a comfortable hearing level. As soon as Antonio was fit with the right hearing aids, his eyes lit up and a big smile spread across his face as he could hear Jennifer talk. Suddenly, just days before Christmas, the holidays became a whole new experience for Antonio as he could now hear all the wonderful sounds of the season.
Adding to the wonder of Antonio, Jennifer and Olyesya’s venture to receive the gift of hearing, was that just before they were due to leave Minnesota, it began to snow. It was fantastic to watch the family take in that beautiful sight. As we got ready to celebrate the holidays with our own families, it made for a wonderful feeling to know that we were able to give Antonio the hearing help he needed. It’s great to know that even though Jennifer’s husband won’t be able to be home for Christmas as he serves overseas, that this family will be able to spend a happy holiday together being able to hear and speak to one another to convey the joy of the season.
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JOURNEY
THE
A closer look at our phase 2 process
OF A PATIENT
Our Community-Based Hearing HealthCare Program utilizes a three-phase, continuous action model. After identifying patients in Phase 1, we provide free hearing aids and care to individuals in need during Phase 2 through our hearing missions. Follow the journey of a patient as we give the gift of hearing…
2 Ear Screening Patient’s ears are examined. Patients with “clear” ears are sent to the Hearing Aid Fitting Station. Patients with issues, such as wax buildup, infection, or perforation, are sent to the Otoscopy Station for further treatment.
1 Registration Patient is checked in and receives: • Patient ID card • Patient ID form • Custom earmolds Please note: We take ear impressions of all patients during Phase 1, so we have their custom earmolds ready for Phase 2. • Information on what to expect at the hearing mission
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Patient
ID Car
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3 Otoscop
Patient receives ca identified during th are treatable on-sit the patient to the H Station once otosc
Patients with issue attention will receiv as needed and may hearing aids at a la
4 Hearing Aid Fitting Station Patient is fit with hearing aids and receives the gift of hearing.
5 Counseling Station Patient meets with a counselor and receives documentation and instruction on how to use and care for their new hearing aids. Topics discussed include: • How to clean earmolds • How to properly insert and remove earmolds • How to turn on and off the hearing aids • How to adjust volume • How to replace batteries
6 Final Check/
Battery Station
Patient receives final check from our team and asks any additional questions. Any issues are addressed and patient may be sent back to a previous station if additional care is needed. Patient receives a supply of batteries. Patient’s ID form is collected and the patient’s Phase 2 experience is complete.
py Station
are for issues he screening. If issues te, we will move Hearing Aid Fitting copy is complete.
es requiring further ve medical referrals y need to be fit with ater date.
7 Data Entry Station Patient information is entered into the database system.
Walk-In Patients While we try to identify as many patients as possible during Phase 1, additional people in need of help always come forward during Phase 2. We don’t want to turn anyone away, so we often provide care to walk-in patients. We have a special area for testing to identify if these individuals are good candidates for hearing aids. Once we determine whether hearing aids are needed, we walk them through the patient journey and provide stock earmolds (custom earmolds are provided at a later date) so they can leave with the gift of hearing.
Phase 3: AfterCare AfterCare is the third phase of our CommunityBased Hearing HealthCare Program, and it helps us ensure that patients have ongoing access to the care they need. We work with our local teams to deliver services like additional counseling, batteries, and hearing aid/earmold repair or replacement over the phone, at schools and at service centers across the world. We also regularly see AfterCare patients at our Phase 2 hearing missions and have a dedicated area to provide additional support. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N 7 3
ALICE COOPER in Brazil.
Firsthand
Alice Cooper Legendary rocker and member of the Hollywood Vampires. Following our hearing mission in Rio de Janeiro with the Hollywood Vampires, we sat down one-on-one with Alice Cooper to get his perspective on what it’s like to give the gift of hearing. Alice, you just had a beautiful moment with a mother and her daughter. What was that like? The daughter was more emotionally overcome by it, but that’s because her mother [after receiving hearing aids] was more in shock. When you first get hearing aids, I can image it would be a sense of shock, even just hearing the ambient noise. It’s like being in a box for so long and just coming out of it. The amazing thing is that us rockers are probably responsible for a lot of hearing loss over the years. We even got our hearing checked last night. It was very minor for us, but it gave us the idea of what it’s like to have our hearing opened up. Then to come back and see people hear for the first time in years, it was an amazing thing to see. Were you inspired by Bill Austin’s passion for caring for others? Well yeah, to give without expecting anything back is what I believe too. He’s putting action into motion, and that’s the best thing you can do. Don’t talk about, just go do it. And he does it all over the world. Speaking of giving, all the proceeds from your band’s record are going to music theater. Tell us about the importance of the band giving back. Everyone in the band is very fortunate to have made a lot of money in our time. We don’t need any more money. So when Bill asked, “Can you do this with us?” we said, “Of course, it would be a great thing, and
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we would love to do that.” Then learning to work hands-on and actually fit the hearing aid on the person and see the results is amazing. Normally, you give money or you do a concert, but rarely do you get your hands in there and physically do it. What an experience. I think that can get very addictive. Would you say hearing music has defined who you are? Absolutely, how would I have even been in a band if I didn’t hear the Beatles or Elvis or any music. I was one of those people who was immediately drawn to music. Without my hearing, I wouldn’t have known what it was. Being able to hear, that’s my whole life. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life: writing songs, recording songs, playing songs. So if I had to lose a sense, hearing would be the last one I would want to lose. The Hollywood Vampires are here in Brazil, not only giving the gift of music, but also giving the gift of hearing. What’s that feeling like? It’s amazing. On one end, performing is something we love doing. It’s something we do every day, and we enjoy that. That’s our passion. Now being involved in helping people that have never heard before, that could easily become another passion.
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Panama 76 City, Panama S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N September 2015
One in six American teens has noise-induced hearing loss due to loud sounds.
listencarefully.org S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
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July 17, 2016
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