Zaporizhia children received 25 hearing aids for free thanks to volunteers’ efforts

As usual, Zaporizhia marked the conclusion of annual charity event “Heart to Heart 2013: Hear the World.” This time, volunteers from all over Ukraine joined forces to help people with hearing impairments. “Since 2006, our region has been participating in the annual all-Ukrainian event “Heart to Heart.” It brings together activists who want to help others. In just one week, many volunteers (this year there were over 1,000 of them) join forces and raise funds for a specific need.

Last year, Zaporizhia volunteers raised 144,464 hryvnias and 30 kopecks. They purchased 25 hearing aids and a diagnostic system of otoacoustic emission for newborns with hearing impairments,” remarked Oksana Levchenko, a representative of the All-Ukrainian Charitable Foundation Heart to Heart in the region. Diagnostic system was donated to the regional children’s hospital which also held conference with the foundation’s members. Such equipment appeared in the hospital for the first time. Its chief medical officer Yurii Borzenko said: “Besides hearing aids, we now have audiograph for newborns and young children. This thing is invaluable. While hearing aid solves the problem that has already been established, audiograph will provide an opportunity to prevent disease to some extent. If there is a congenital abnormality, we will never be able to remove it, but we will know that the child needs prosthetic ear implanted as soon as possible.” Nearly 25 children received hearing aids directly at the event. Those who failed to appear will get the devices later. They were given for free to children from low-income and large families. The volunteers plan to raise funds for children with visual impairments this year.