The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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December 22, 2010

ISJ Auxiliary donates $16K for audiology equipment

By Tim Krohn The Free Press

MANKATO — Christopher Olson was 4 when he was diagnosed with hearing loss. Hearing aids worked, but in the coming years he would lose all his hearing.

Now, age 13, Olson has cochlear implants he received over the past couple of years and hears well. “I can play baseball and I can play football, too.”

His parents, Robert and Kimberly of Mankato, said the audiology advances have made life normal. “His friends don’t even notice it,” Robert said.

The Olsons were on hand at Immanuel St. Joseph’s — Mayo Health System Wednesday where the ISJ Auxiliary donated $16,000 toward the purchase of more audiology equipment. The money comes from the Auxiliary’s annual Women’s Show.

“Early intervention is so critical,” said Jenne Tunnell, an audiologist at ISJ. “We see a lot of children here because the closest pediatric center is 90 miles away.”

Tunnell said she has patients as young as 6 weeks old with hearing aids and technology makes the devices smaller, better and more acceptable for youngsters.

“It’s not your old-man beige hearing aid anymore,” Tunnell said, noting that new devices even let kids stream their cell phone, music and other devices directly to their hearing aids.

It’s estimated that one in five teens has some hearing problems.

The Auxiliary’s Women’s Show is the largest health and wellness expo for women in the region. The event draws thousands of attendees to the Verizon Wireless Center each year.

The Immanuel St. Joseph’s Auxiliary has a membership of more than 200 men and women who, along with hospital volunteers, donate thousands of hours of service to the medical center each year.

 For more information about the auxiliary or the Women’s Show, go to www.isjauxiliary.org or call 385-2678.

 

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