Dear friends,

As most of you already know my daughter Keagan was born with moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears. She started wearing hearing aids when she was 7 months old and her hearing got progressively worse to the point where she was going deaf. In 2016, after she was declared legally profoundly deaf Keagan received cochlear implants in both ears, dramatically improving her hearing all around. She has made TREMENDOUS strides in her speech and development to where she is now on par and even ahead of some kids her age who have perfect hearing! This was made possible because of events like the Walk4Hearing. If you can, please donate. Any amount helps. If you can’t then walk with Keagan’s Kruisers as a participant. Whatever you can do to contribute is very much appreciated. The link to my page is provided below. Thank you so much!

The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Walk4Hearing increases awareness about hearing loss, helps to eradicate the stigma associated with it and raises funds to provide information and support for people with hearing loss. Since 2006, the Walk4Hearing has raised more than $7.7 million and has become the largest walk for hearing taking place in cities across the United States.

Why Walk?
We walk because hearing loss is a public health issue third in line after heart disease and arthritis.

• 48 million people have some form of hearing loss
• 26 million people have noise-induced hearing loss that could have been prevented
• 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children are born deaf or with a hearing loss
• 60 percent of the people with hearing loss are either in the work force or in educational settings

Hearing loss affects one's ability to communicate every day in different situations - from a dinner conversation at a noisy restaurant, on the phone, to not hearing alarm clocks and smoke alarms. For people with hearing loss, these situations can be become obstacles without the right information and support. HLAA provides the assistance and resources for people with hearing loss and their families to learn how to adjust to living with hearing loss.

For more information about HLAA, please visit www.hearingloss.org.