KALISPELL — The gift of sound is something many of us take for granted in our day-to-day lives like a cool breeze or soft melody that echoes in the distance.
Cindy Lewis of Ronan is all too aware of those sounds, and the fact that she’s missed countless moments in her adult life due to her hard of hearing.
Lewis was recently gifted new hearing aids in Kalispell, a chance to catch life’s precious moments once again before they pass on by.
“It gives me energy, when I have hearing aids, I just have more energy, there’s more things I want to go do,” said Lewis, who is a Miracle-Ear patient.
Lewis began losing her hearing roughly 10 years ago, as her hearing started to leave, so did her confidence. “If you can’t hear what you’re doing, you’re not going to do it well,” said Lewis.
She tried hearing aids for the first time in 2016 and was amazed by the results but lost her hearing aids while moving into her new home. “It came out and lost it, and we couldn’t find it,” said Lewis.
A licensed therapist, Lewis struggled the last two years without hearing aids.
“It kills me because how can you meet people’s needs if you can’t figure what their needs are because you can’t hear them,” added Lewis.
Through research, Lewis discovered the Miracle-Ear Foundation which has delivered more than 30,000 free hearing aids to adults and children nationwide since its inception in 1990.
Miracle Ear Foundation Hearing Instrument Specialist Evelina Groszewski said the hearing aids are highly specialized with Bluetooth features and lifetime care.
“They’re hearing aids that should last a longtime, they’re hearing aids that can be adjusted and maintained for a long, long time for them, so that’s wonderful too,” said Groszewski.
She said giving someone the gift of sound is life-changing for both the patient and herself.
“Anytime someone comes in to get help, it’s not just their hearing that’s affected, it’s their relationships, it’s their lifestyle, it’s their confidence that’s affected and being able to help people with all of those things is definitely a wonderful feeling,” added Groszewski.
A music lover, Lewis can’t wait to play her piano once again, listening closely to the notes as her fingers dance around the keys.
“Most of us take sound for granted, we don’t realize what we have until we lose it, and it was incredible, and it’s like a dream, it’s like pinch me is this really happening? How did I get so blessed?” said Lewis.
Those interested to see if they’re eligible for free hearing aids through the Miracle-Ear Foundation can visit their website for more information.
