In celebration of Audiology Awareness Month in the United States, we are featuring stories of people who have raised awareness of hearing loss in their community.
Every year, thousands of children, families, and young adults form teams and walk in their communities to celebrate hearing and increase public awareness of hearing loss. The Hearing Loss Association of America’s Walk4Hearing events bring people together to combat the stigma associated with hearing loss and raise funds for local programs and initiatives.
In 2009, Cathy Kooser and Leslie Iannarino founded a Walk4Hearing event in the Dayton/Cincinnati metropolitan area of Ohio in the United States. Their experience can serve as an inspiration to others who want to make a difference in their community and raise awareness of hearing loss.
“Any professional in the hearing loss field is at a great advantage to organize a walk like this, since they have so many contacts,” states Cathy Kooser. “Hearing aid manufacturers are often very willing to provide sponsorship and resources. Moreover, your professional contacts can be very valuable as you start promoting the event and seek funding.”
The Dayton/Cincinnati walk is now in its fifth year. Each year, it generates a region-wide discussion about hearing loss and the value of regular hearing checks. To promote the event, Cathy and Leslie appeared on local radio and TV programs. This provided them the opportunity to reach a broad audience and speak about hearing loss and its impact on the lives of families and individuals.
In our recent conversation with Leslie and Cathy, they emphasized the importance of making the walk a family-friendly event. Hearing loss can affect people of all ages. For this reason, they made a concerted effort to invite and welcome families and children of all ages to participate.
“It was great fun, and it was well worth all of the effort. The walk is more of a celebration of hearing, rather than emphasizing loss and sadness,” states Leslie Innarino. “We used storytelling to create a personal connection to hearing loss. Each year we spotlighted a different person with hearing loss in the community and invited them to share their story. One year we selected a child. Another year we selected a family where all family members had hearing loss. The stories underscored how it is possible to live a wonderful life with hearing loss.”
Cathy and Leslie found that independent hearing clinics can greatly benefit from supporting walks in their region. The walks can help raise awareness of hearing loss among community members and inspire people to act on their hearing and visit a clinic for a consultation session.
“The walk can be an excellent marketing and outreach tool for local hearing clinics,” states Cathy Kooser. “Leslie and I are both affiliated with two private hearing clinics in the southwest Ohio area, Southwest Ohio ENT Associates and Hillcrest Hearing & Balance Center. Both clinics were very strong advocates for the walk. It was a great marketing tool. Supporting the walk shows that you are reaching out and helping the community. Your clinic’s name is being put out there, and the broader community is much more aware of the services you provide.”
In addition to raising funds for national organizations like HLAA, local walks can raise funds for local projects. The Dayton/Cincinnati walk for hearing included a program where local organizations could form a team and raise funds for their specific causes. A portion of the donations raised by the team would go to the HLAA. The rest would go back to team’s organization so that they could fund hearing loss initiatives and give back to the community. For example, schools could use the funds to organize events to educate students about good hearing health practices and the dangers of exposure to loud noises.
If you are located in the United States and want more information about how to start a walk in your community, you can visit the HLAA Walk4Hearing program website. They have information and resources available to help you contribute to this important effort.
Cathy Kooser is a licensed independent social worker who has a severe, sensorineural hearing loss. She developed and currently teaches an aural rehabilitation program entitled The Kooser Program: The Hidden Impact of Hearing Loss. Leslie Iannarino serves as the Program Director of the Kooser Program.