It’s easy to take your sense of hearing for granted when it’s finely tuned. Whether due to the aging process, medical conditions or injury, some people require a hearing aid and that can be costly.
Langford resident Aila-Tytti Smith was able to get a pair for free, thanks to the National Campaign for Better Hearing. She received her new hearing aids March 17 valued at about $5,000 at the HearingLife Canada clinic at Forbes Pharmacy on Goldstream Avenue.
A test last August at the clinic determined she was having major hearing issues in both ears. Carson Tiede, a hearing instrument practitioner at the clinic, recommended Smith for free hearing aids through the national initiative.
“She demonstrated a real need, but couldn’t afford them,” Tiede explained.
Smith, who has cerebral palsy, said she was overwhelmed by being selected.
“Words can’t describe how thankful I am,” she said. “It’s an amazing difference, a significant improvement in my life.”
According to Sally Thompson, hearing specialist at Forbes Pharmacy the clinic is the first full hearing services clinic inside a pharmacy in the Capital Region.
“Our goal is to provide an overall approach to wellness for the community,” she said.
The National Campaign for Better Hearing is a non-profit organization partnered with HearingLife Canada and other hearing clinics through a network of 175 clinics across Canada.
The campaign raised more than $100,000 last year, with clinics donating $2 for every free hearing test conducted at their locations.
Twenty Canadians received free hearing aids in 2015, a number the organization hopes to double by increasing the donation to $4 per test this year.
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com