Phonak Sponsors Free ‘Hear the Music Kids’ Camp’

Phonak, a global provider of hearing aids and wireless communication solutions, announced its second annual sponsorship of Songs for Sound’s ‘Hear the Music Kids’ Camp.’ The annual camp is among the key programs of Songs For Sound, a national charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for those with hearing loss.

The partnership between Phonak and Songs For Sound enables entire families of children with hearing loss to attend the weekend retreat at no cost. The camp’s mission is to empower children with hearing loss and their parents to advocate for themselves both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. 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. Music is a central theme at the camp, which will kick off Friday, March 9th and continue through March 11th in Scottsville, Kentucky.

“Children with undetected or untreated hearing loss are missing out on the sounds that give us spoken language, hope, laughter, and music,” said Jaime Vernon, founder of Songs For Sound. “Our daughter Lexi’s hearing loss went undetected for a year and a half. Our mission is to make sure that never happens again as we want everyone to have access to the same quality of care we fought to get for Lexi. Through the generosity of partners like Phonak, programs like ‘Hear the Music Kids’ Camp’ help us offer the necessary tools and resources to so many communities.”

Over the course of two days, 33 children and their families will enjoy 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 can receive information on the latest pediatric hearing innovations and attend support groups where they can share their experiences. To be considered for the camp, parents are required to submit an application for their children through Songs For Sound with a letter from their health care professional confirming eligibility.

“Dedication to the field of pediatric audiology is embedded in our DNA, and that’s just one of the reasons why Phonak is so proud to support Songs For Sound’s annual ‘Hear The Music Kid’s Camp,’” said Jan Metzdorff, president of Phonak US. “We now know that children need to hear 30,000 words per day to get the needed input for spoken language. That’s why early detection and treatment using the latest advances in hearing technology are so vital to a child’s future.”

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 10-15,000 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 underserved areas, and others.

Not only does the volunteer staff provide test results, according to Phonak’s announcement, 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. Information on hearing health benefits and 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.

Source: Phonak, Songs for Sound

Images: Phonak, Jay Sottolano