Over 600 St. Lucians receive free hearing aids from Starkey Hearing Foundation

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]undreds turned out at the National Cultural Centre on April 12^th and 13^th to be fitted with hearing aids from the Starkey Hearing Foundation.  The smiles on the faces of recipients and their family members who accompanied then was overwhelming as they could now hear clearer for the first time in a long time.  

The Ministry of Health and Wellness worked hand in hand with the Starkey hearing foundation to bring the gift of hearing to many St. Lucians with hearing difficulty. Starkey and Health Officials were very pleased with the huge response by the public to receive their free hearing aids.  Assistant Principal Nursing Officer, Tecla Jn Baptiste said it was a joy to see the smiles on the faces of recipients.

“I mean it’s really a pleasure collaborating with Starkey Hearing Foundation for this mission to bring the gift of hearing to our people in St. Lucia. I mean, I feel so overwhelmed today to see persons who have had hearing difficulties and persons who are hearing impaired walk out here and say to me, ‘Nurse I feel so good today. I mean I could hear and I don’t know how much I could thank you all for this.’ But it’s really been a great day. It’s been a lot of effort into this and off course it won’t just stop after this mission.”

Minister for Health and Wellness, Sen. Hon. Mary Isaac was impressed with the number of persons who turnout to get their hearing improved.  

“A lot of people who are here have had trouble hearing. They have never enjoyed the sounds that most of us enjoy hearing. The sound of their loved one’s voice, the sound of their children and just to be given such a precious gift for free, I believe this is just tremendous.”

One recipient, Mr. John D’Auvergne, gave the Starkey foundation high praise for the quality of the devices and the after care service they will provide. 

“Excellent. In fact I have gone to my ear specialist and the hearing aids that were suggested were in the region of almost three thousand dollars. Such a thing by Starkey Foundation I think is humanitarian. Because, I am receiving two hearing aids which would have cost me almost six thousand dollars and that is for free added to that free batteries for a lifetime.”

Founder of the Starkey Hearing Foundation Dr. William F. Austen was on island and personally fitted hearing aids for clients. He talked of the joy he gets in doing this line of work.

“So, it’s wonderful to be able to connect someone to life and let them be part of life again and that’s the great joy we get in our work. I’ve done it for 57 years. I’ve never killed a patient and I have helped almost all of them and so it’s a good job. I like my job and I’ll keep doing it as long as I can.” 

Prime Minister, Hon. Allen Chastanet, applauded the high level of organization and planning which went into this event and for the Starkey teams choosing St. Lucia as one of the beneficiary countries.

“And it’s so great to see a person as successful as Dr. Austen putting together this programme. I understand it’s in over 60 countries through his foundation and I am very proud of the staff, the Ministry of Health, our Nurses, Doctors and everyone who embraced it. Because, it’s about the people and so to impact 600 people’s lives just this year alone and what I am even more impressed with is the facilities they have put in for the follow up.”

Persons were not only fitted with hearing aids but received counseling on what to expect with the new hearing aids including how to operate and care for the device.

— Source: Ministry of Health and Wellness