Kids With Hearing Loss Attend Special Camp, Thanks to Phonak and Songs For Sound Partnership
For the second year, Phonak partnered with Songs For Sound to help support their annual Hear the Music Camp. Approximately 33 children with hearing loss and their families participated in the weekend retreat on March 9-11, 2018, in Scottsville, Kentucky. The campers were able to attend at no cost because of the partnership.
“We are so grateful for the support,” said Jamie Vernon, founder of Songs For Sound, a national charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for those with hearing loss. “Not all families have the means to support their children with hearing devices … which makes this camp such a sigh of relief for each family.”
The Camp’s Mission
The annual camp is among the key programs of Songs For Sound. Its mission is to empower children with hearing loss and their parents to advocate for themselves both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. Music is a central theme at the camp.
“Not all families have the means to support their children with hearing devices … which makes this camp such a sigh of relief for each family.” —Jamie Vernon, founder of Songs For Sound
The camp also aims to equip families with knowledge of the latest hearing technology and encourage them to proactively utilize the hearing healthcare infrastructure to pursue optimal care.
Kids Being Kids
Over the course of two days, the children and their families enjoyed horseback riding, fishing, swimming, archery, songwriting and more on 140 acres at the Center for Courageous Kids, a medical camp that serves children and their families that live with chronic medical conditions or life-threatening illnesses.
Parents also received information on the latest pediatric hearing innovations and attend support groups where they shared their experiences.
“This camp gives kids with hearing loss the opportunity to spend time with each other. They get to create bonds and share in awesome experiences.”
“It was great to see some familiar faces from our last camp and some new ones this year,” said Vernon. “This camp gives kids with hearing loss the opportunity to spend time with each other. They get to create bonds and share in awesome experiences.”
This year, Florida Golf Pro and Phonak Ambassador Kaylin Yost served as the camp’s keynote speaker. Last year, Yost won the Gold Medal in Women’s Golf at the 2017 Deaflympics Summer Games in Samsun, Turkey.
“Kaylin was a huge hit with our campers,” shared Vernon. “Her message of positivity resonated with the kids.”
Beyond the Camp
In addition to the camp, Phonak’s partnership helps assist Songs For Sound’s Hear the Music Project and mobile clinic tours throughout the nation. The mobile clinic provides 10,000 to 15,000 people a year with access to free hearing tests.
Each year the mobile hearing clinic serves all demographics across the United States at 16-25 large annual weekend events, such as veterans expos, air shows, state fairs, health expos, music festivals, as well as over 200 weekday events with community stops at the YMCA, senior centers, Boys and Girls Clubs, veterans’ organizations, preschools in under-served areas, among others.
Not only does the volunteer staff provide test results, but they also offer consultations, showing people how to prevent and treat hearing loss. The staff then refers people to several high-quality local hearing care practices, allowing them to make an informed choice of action.
Financial information on hearing health benefits, health insurance navigation and support is also offered. And, when funding is not an option, Songs For Sound supports those in hardship by connecting them to partners offering low to no cost hearing aids.
Phonak is proud to sponsor Songs For Sound to create awareness and educate visitors on hearing health, hearing loss and living a life without limitations.