"It's a privilege to be able to make such a big difference in someone's life. We are so blessed to have a partner like Beltone Hearing Innovations who selflessly donated these hearing aids," Elri van der Merwe, Audiologist from Hearcare Randfontein said in her opening speech at the handover on Wednesday (26 November).
This comes after an add was placed in two local Caxton newspapers, Rising Sun Lenasia and Randfontein herald where people were given the chance to write motivational letters on why they should win a hearing aid.
The five winners chosen to receive the hearing aids were invited to Hearcare at the back of Life Robinson Private Hospital for a test to determine which hearing aid they should receive. All the candidates had their hearing tests done and their hearing aids adjusted to their specific needs the day before. They were given training on how to maintain and use the hearing aids correctly.
One of the candidates who won a hearing aid was little Fika Zondo, 4, who was born with impaired hearing.
"I realised something was wrong with Fika when he still couldn't speak at two and a half years old. He could not even say 'mamma'. After many doctor referrals we ended up at a speech therapist who advised me to get his ears tested. He then got his first hearing aid in 2013, which with the help of the speech therapist got his vocabulary up to 55 words," Felicity Zondo, his mother said.
Being so young, Fika lost his hearing aid at school and it halted his progress completely. "I saw the add in the Rising Sun and knew I had to write and try and get help for him. I was over the moon when they called me to tell me he had won. I know this will help him so much," Felicity added.
Gert Smith, 15, was another youngster to receive a hearing aid. He also was born nearly completely deaf in his right ear and could not contain his excitement when they handed him the gift bag containing his "new ear" as he put it.
"This is an answered prayer and we cannot thank Hearcare and Beltone enough for this wonderful gift," Chantelle Smith, his mother said.
Hearcare also held a bingo night where they encouraged people to bring hard of hearing friends along to be tested. One of the identified candidates from that evening, Margaret Snyman was surprised with a hearing aid at the event on Wednesday.
"I had no idea and was so surprised by this amazing gift," she said with tears in her eyes. Margaret had a stroke in 2007 and since then struggled to hear. After the handover they took her for her fitting and adjusted her hearing aid to the right level.
Hearcare owned by Dr Elize de Koker has branches in Brits, Carltonville, Rustenburg, Krugersdorp, Roodepoort, Centurion, Johannesburg and Midrand.
o People interested in getting their hearing tested can contact Hearcare Randfontein on 011 412 2414 or 011 278 8778.
http://randfonteinherald.co.za/169640/blessed-with-new-hearing/
