Give the Gift of Healthy Hearing

By Yishane Lee

As soon as the holidays roll around every year, I try to think of ways to give and receive gifts that are truly valuable, and not merely the season’s hot toy or other things that, when it comes down to it, you don’t really, really need. (I have used last year’s immersion blender exactly once. Yipes!)

As I try to remind my kids, the season is about gift giving, not receiving, and this year, I’ll talk to my family about giving the gift of healthy hearing. An annual hearing test taken every year around the holidays is the perfect way to show your family you care, and for them to show you they care.

Why? Undiagnosed and untreated hearing loss has been shown to detrimentally affect personal relationships, as the Better Hearing Institute reports. “Research demonstrates the considerable negative social, psychological, cognitive, and health effects of untreated hearing loss with far-reaching implications that go well beyond hearing alone. In fact, those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal.”

And it’s well known that social isolation is a risk factor for dementia and other cognitive disorders. The social isolation that can come with untreated hearing loss may be one reason why hearing loss has been linked to dementia, according to a 2011 study led by Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D., at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. It is also possible that whatever leads to dementia may also cause hearing loss. Or, the brain’s constant efforts to understand and interpret sounds eventually taxes the brain, leading to dementia.

I don’t mean to be such a downer in a time of holiday cheer. But since having a hearing loss can be even more challenging during the holidays, when family and friends gather and when the noise level can be even louder, you owe it to yourself and your family—and vice versa—to get your hearing checked by a hearing professional this holiday season.

If you’re really looking to give a gift that will impact a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus, consider a gift to HHF.  You can make a gift in memory or in honor of a loved one, contribute to an item on our wish list, or fundraise for a cure and ask your family and friends to donate to HHF in lieu of holiday gifts to you.

While you are doing some online shopping, consider using Amazon Smile where a portion of your proceeds will be automatically donated to HHF at no cost to you! Just register (or sign in to your Amazon account) and choose HHF as your charity of choice. Also, be sure to avoid these toxic toys—including noisy toys that have the potential to cause hearing damage over time.

Here’s hoping you and yours enjoy a happy, healthy holiday season!

You Can Help Us Find a Cure!

By Tara Guastella

Do you, or a family member, or a friend have a hearing loss? Do you know someone returning from military service who developed a hearing loss or tinnitus while serving our country? Do you want to help us find a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus?

Help us fundraise for a cure!  

We are excited to announce the launch of our new giving platform that will help you do just that. Join us in finding a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus by creating a fundraising event for Giving Tuesday, on December 3 this year, an international day of giving that kicks off the holiday giving season.

But don’t worry--if you aren’t able to plan something for for Giving Tuesday, no problem. Our giving platform will be available to you year-round for any event or giving idea that you may have.

There are many different ways to create your own fundraising event, ranging from golf outings and bake sales, to birthdays and weddings, to marathons and triathlons. Let your talents and interests lead you--no event is too large or too small!

If you’re looking for a unique way to create a fundraising event, we have several examples of past events, such as Publishing for Vision & Hearing and DJ’ing for a Cure, alongside more traditional sporting event examples like the NYC Marathon, Marine Corp Marathon, and Aquaphor NYC Triathlon. Looking for other ideas? We have those for you too!

If you’ve never fundraised before, don’t let that stop you. We provide email templates and examples of how to reach out to friends and family to ask for support of your event. We also provide a host of social media sharing options. Did you know the average person has 300 friends on Facebook? If you create an event and ask each of your Facebook friends to donate $5, you can raise $1,500!

Once you’ve nailed down how you’d like to fundraise, in three easy steps you’ll be on your way to helping us support groundbreaking research to cure hearing loss and tinnitus. 1.) Register; 2) Create your Giving Page; 3) Share your personal page with family and friends and ask for their support.

Get Started!

Thank you in advance for your help toward finding a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus.

Have questions or need help setting up your fundraiser?  Email fundraise@hhf.org or call (212) 257-6140.

Five NYC Marathon Finishers: Winners in the Search for a Cure for Hearing Loss

By Tara Guastella

A wave to the thousands cheering my name

On a crisp, cool morning this past Sunday, November 3, Tom Abbey, Veronica Calhoun, Kim Montini, Andy Shepard, and I rose early and made our way to the starting line of the 2013 ING NYC Marathon. After ferry rides and shuttle buses, our marathon team stood at the starting line of the greatest running race in the world for one important reason: to support a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus.

Over the past several months we have spent hours on training runs, thanks to Abbey, team trainer from Functional Fitness VA, who prepared our team to tackle this great feat. Each team member also worked together to raise funds for HHF. In total, we raised nearly $20,000 to support a cure.

"I would have never done it if it wasn't for the cause. And I'm so happy that I did," says Calhoun, who ran for her 4-year-old daughter, Marlowe, who was born with a hearing loss.

Veronica poses with her medal after finishing

All five team members crossed the finish line in their bright green HHF T-shirts, and we couldn't have felt happier about what we had just accomplished—not only completing 26.2 scenic miles through all five boroughs of New York City, but also knowing that journey is contributing to a cure for hearing loss and tinnitus. The accomplishment is something that goes much further than Marathon Sunday—something that, one day in the near future, will restore a vital sense to the nearly 50 million Americans with hearing loss.

Interested in running in next year’s NYC Marathon for HHF? Email development@hhf.org today!