Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital will be collecting used hearing aids through the end of the month so they can be reconditioned and given to people around the world.
The “So the World May Hear” program recycles hearing aids and fits more than 100,000 for adults and children in over 100 countries each year.
David M. Illich, Au.D, Palomar Health’s Chief of Audiology, is spearheading the campaign.
“Hearing is your main intellectual and cognitive sense,” said Dr. Illich, “And there’s nothing more important in life than communicating with your family and friends.” Dr. Illich has traveled overseas many times to help people hear.
More than 36 million people in the world suffer from debilitating hearing loss, and fewer than 3% have any kind of medical or hearing care, according to Dr. Illich.
“Our goal is to help one-million people worldwide by the year 2020 and we are already at 650,000,” Dr. Illich says. “If you, a loved one, or friend have hearing instruments that are no longer being used, whether they are working or not, we invite you to donate them, so that together we may help the world hear.”
Any part of the hearing aid can be donated, “no matter how broken it is,” Dr. Illich said.
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Hearing aids may be donated to Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital.
