By Erin O’Donell, Director Of Education and Global Health
1. INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECT TRIPS
We returned to international medical missions in September 2023 with a week-long trip to Matagalpa, Nicaragua, to fit pediatric hearing aids. We served 82 patients, predominately children. This marked the beginning of a long-term partnership with Fara Clinic with a plan to expand our program to include education for local healthcare workers and research on our next trip. We are poised to add more overseas partnerships. Thanks to your continued support, we also provide grant funding for our neurologist fellows to travel to low- and middle-income countries and deliver hearing care and training, igniting career-long volunteerism with enduring impact.
2. GLOBAL HEARING HEALTH COORDINATION CENTER (GHHCC)
Many global hearing health efforts are decentralized. Our newly launched web-based hub is an interactive map and list of sustainable humanitarian projects in ear surgery and audiology. We aim to increase connectivity and collaboration amongst hearing health professionals. Thanks to your support, this resource will grow into a comprehensive list of opportunities, encouraging the development of vital partnerships that can help advance ear and hearing care in low- and middle-income countries.
1. INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECT TRIPS
We returned to international medical missions in September 2023 with a week-long trip to Matagalpa, Nicaragua, to fit pediatric hearing aids. We served 82 patients, predominately children. This marked the beginning of a long-term partnership with Fara Clinic with a plan to expand our program to include education for local healthcare workers and research on our next trip. We are poised to add more overseas partnerships. Thanks to your continued support, we also provide grant funding for our neurologist fellows to travel to low- and middle-income countries and deliver hearing care and training, igniting career-long volunteerism with enduring impact.
2. GLOBAL HEARING HEALTH COORDINATION CENTER (GHHCC)
Many global hearing health efforts are decentralized. Our newly launched web-based hub is an interactive map and list of sustainable humanitarian projects in ear surgery and audiology. We aim to increase connectivity and collaboration amongst hearing health professionals. Thanks to your support, this resource will grow into a comprehensive list of opportunities, encouraging the development of vital partnerships that can help advance ear and hearing care in low- and middle-income countries.
3. AUDIOLOGY TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM
Training local healthcare workers is critical to expanding hearing testing and access to hearing loss solutions in regions where audiologists are scarce. With your backing, we have developed a free Audiology Technology Curriculum to create hearing healthcare providers in low- to middle- income countries where there are currently few to none. This year, we will launch this resource in several formats, including an open access, web-based version. This resource will be translated into Spanish. We plan to translate the curriculum into other languages, and to add a pediatric specific module.
4. SURGICAL TRAINING FOR INTERNATIONAL
PHYSICIANS
Our Visiting Physicians Program welcomes physicians from around the world to learn from House Clinic neurotologists. Our Temporal Bone Dissection Courses offer surgical training to international physicians through hands-on instruction. We provide scholarships to make this opportunity affordable for physicians from low- to middle-
income countries. Both programs allow physicians to learn from House Institute faculty and bring their insights and improved technical skills back to their home countries
5. ADVOCACY, POLICY, AND PARTNERSHIPS
As a member of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Hearing Forum (WHF), we join interdisciplinary stakeholders in championing key hearing health messaging and policy standards. On March 3rd each year, we celebrate World Hearing Day by hosting community events. We are also part of the WHF’s Safe Listening task force, which promotes a multi-faceted approach to hearing conservation by collaborating with industry and directly reaching at risk groups. In addition, we are a member of the Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH). Their mission, which intersects with ours, is to make hearing health a global priority by enhancing hearing services in under-resourced communities. We were honored to host the CGHH’s Annual Meeting in October of 2023. The three-day conference was a huge success, uniting 130 hearing health professionals, researchers, educators, advocates, and industry partners from around the world.
6. HEARING AID ACCESS PROJECT (HAAP)
Our Hearing Aid Access Project (HAAP) and Hearing Aid Access Project – Youth (HAAPY) seek to address the pressing need for affordable hearing aids. Your investment and assistance from manufacturers allow us to provide pro bono services in English and Spanish, and free hearing aids to income-eligible adults and children. This initiative also presents a valuable opportunity to examine the socio-economic and cultural dimensions that influence individuals’ access to and utilization of hearing aids. Through a network of local clinics, community organizations, and school districts, we readily extend our services to those with limited insurance coverage, ensuring they have the technology necessary for improved hearing and communication, comprehensive testing, and follow-up care.
A Call to Action from Jeremy Sidell,
Executive Director
As we reflect on the staggering number of individuals with hearing loss, I’m reminded of Dr. Howard House’s vision: “So all may hear.” At the House Institute Foundation, we’re dedicated to changing the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals through research, education, pediatric care, and global hearing health. We can’t do it alone. With your support, we will continue programs like the Hearing Science Accelerator and the Hearing Aid Access Project – Youth.
Your donation today fuels our efforts to provide life-changing care and technology to those in need. Together, let’s make Dr. House’s vision a reality for millions worldwide.