Our family became familiar with Project 143 just in time for winter hosting 2015-2016. I searched all of the available children’s information and discussed everything with my family. However, I was instantly drawn to a girl who was hearing impaired. I sincerely hoped to help her with a hearing evaluation and possibly hearing aids while she was here for hosting. Eventually, our family did select her for winter hosting and we were excited to participate.
I started reaching out in my local area for help but really couldn’t get too much traction until she arrived for evaluation. Finally, once she arrived into our home, we were able to complete her evaluation in the first week and start more research about her needs. Suddenly, we only had two more weeks of hosting remaining and I ‘threw out the net’ so to speak, contacting audiologists and ENT practices, along with a post on Facebook. The response was nothing short of amazing. The wonderful volunteers from Project 143 exhausted all of their resources to help meet the need of this young girl.
A friend who works for the Pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat of Atlanta (PENTA) as a nurse practitioner came to our rescue. A wonderful audiologist in the practice found a hearing aid that could be donated and soon we were in the office getting the ear molds. The following week, our host daughter was fitted with the new hearing aid just in time for the close of hosting.
Our host daughter was very excited about the hearing aids and, for the first time, told us to turn down the music in the car after her appointment!
The audiologist and nurse practitioner from PENTA made a huge difference in the life of our host child with a hearing need. The compassion and generosity that I witnessed in the brief period of time I was a host parent was overwhelming. Once you start this journey with Project 143 and the host children they help, you are never the same… and more than likely you will become a volunteer!
Thank you to the Sawyer family for choosing to host a child in order to help with her medical needs.
