The 10th Annual Hearoes Tour will provide free hearing screenings and care navigation across seven states to address untreated hearing loss.

The LexCare Hearing Foundation has announced the national expansion of its “One Million Ears” movement and the launch of its 10th Annual Hearoes Tour. The initiative, announced in conjunction with Better Hearing & Speech Month, aims to provide free hearing screenings, education, and access to care across the US.

The foundation’s efforts are targeted at addressing the 80-90% of individuals with hearing loss who remain untreated, many of whom wait more than seven years to seek care. The organization seeks to improve awareness, access, and action in hearing healthcare.

Over the next 12 months, the Hearoes Tour will travel through Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Washington, DC, South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. The mobile tour will offer free hearing screenings, personalized education, and navigation to hearing solutions including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and tinnitus care.

A key component of the initiative is the foundation’s screening-to-care model. After a screening, individuals are connected with the LexCare Team, which provides one-on-one follow-up, insurance and financial navigation, and care coordination, including appointment scheduling with local providers.

“We’re doing this work with a team of just three people, which makes the support of our partners even more meaningful,” says Jaime Motes, founder and executive director of The LexCare Hearing Foundation, in a release. “A national tour at this scale requires significant investment…It takes the entire hearing health ecosystem—industry leaders, foundations, companies, and individual donors—to make this possible.”

Supporters of the tour include CaptionCall, Cochlear Americas, Lenire by Neuromod, and Shoebox Audiometry, among other organizations and donors.

The LexCare Hearing Foundation, formerly Songs for Sound, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011. To date, it has delivered over 34,000 free screenings and hosted more than 1,200 events nationwide. The “One Million Ears” movement has a goal of reaching one million ears by 2030.

Featured image: LexCare Hearing Foundation mobile van to be used for the 10th annual Hearoes Tour. Photo: LexCare Hearing Foundation