The Hear the Music Project serves it's 25th State as it Rolls through California! Next up, The Rose Bowl Stadium!

    LOS ANGELES, CA, December 08, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- It's difficult to understand what it's like to live without the ability to hear, until it happens to you. Over time, your hair cells in your cochlea can become damaged to the point you cannot hear well or at all.

Excessive noise and too-loud decibels, genetics, over 200 medications, ear infections, cancer treatments and aging can all cause hearing loss or deafness. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported 466 million people worldwide have a disabling hearing loss. Disabling. This means it keeps them from earning their rightful income, causes literacy delays, and even depression. The latest research is also proving untreated hearing loss (letting it go) can contribute to cognitive decline. Think about it; you aren't feeding your brain the very fuel it needs, SOUNDS & INFORMATION.

In 2009, a little girl named Lexi was diagnosed as being deaf. She had been overlooked time and time again. No newborn hearing screening was given, pediatricians said she was "fine" and to "wait", yet her father and mother, Kevin and Jaime, knew something was not right.

Finally, after pushing their way to Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center in Nashville, TN, the Vernon's received the diagnosis. At 14 months of age, "Lexi is deaf."

On that day, the Vernon's were not only utterly heartbroken by the diagnosis, they were given hope. "Lexi could be a great candidate for a cochlear implant, a surgically implanted device which restores sound to the deaf."

At 18 months of age, Lexi was implanted. By 19 months she was hearing a bird chirping. By 20 months, Lexi said her first word, "Ma Ma."

Lexi's mom, Jaime, could not get past those sleepless nights when Lexi wouldn't respond to her lullaby. "It was excruciating not to connect with Lexi. My mom died the year before she was born. I had endured her dying of breast cancer and experiencing that painful time in her life and mine. I needed connection with my daughter to heal and gain comfort. As doctors told me she was fine, I can remember handing her to Kevin and going into a room to cry. WHY WON'T MY DAUGHTER RESPOND TO HER MOM? HER LULLABY?" shares Jaime.

Fast-forward to the moment after Lexi's cochlear implant surgery when Lexi slowly put her head on her mother's shoulder. "It was as if time completely stopped. Every night as she was progressing, I would pray that this would be the night. Then it happened. This time, my tears were of utter joy and peace. My deaf baby could HEAR ME SING TO HER," Jaime said.

Not long after that perfect evening, Jaime started a charity to make sure everyone has AWARENESS, ACCESS and INFORMATION to hear and live their best life. In 2011, Songs for Sound received 501c3 status and Jaime launched a movement.

To date, the charity has multiple programs. The Hear the Music Project is a mobile hearing experience and clinic. To date, the clinic has provided:
20,000 free hearing screenings
25 States and counting served
630+ events accomplished
58% referrals to local audiology

The clinic focuses first on major awareness events on weekends. Then they serve community stops with key demographics during the week such as Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, Senior Centers and Veterans organizations.

The project would not exist without support from presenting sponsor like cochlear implant pioneers, Cochlear Americas.

"Cochlear is proud to support Songs for Sound's efforts that provide access to free hearing screenings, hearing health and hearing treatment information to thousands across the United States," said Patricia Trautwein, audiologist and vice president of marketing and product management for Cochlear Americas.

Currently, the Hear the Music Project is touring through California through the end of December. Then, FLORIDA to focus on Seniors in January and February.

And Lexi? She just turned 11 years old. Her speech is perfect. Her hearing is miraculous and she's dominating in both academics, athletics and loves dance and you guessed it, MUSIC!

Join us at the HEAR THE MUSIC PROJECT this weekend at the CCHC 3rd Annual Toy Giveaway & Health Fair in Glendale on Saturday and the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena on Sunday.

TO DONATE, VOLUNTEER or SPONSOR, visit SongsForSound.com

Songs for Sound is a 501c3 charity founded on a heartwarming story & a passionate objective: to provide AWARENESS OF hearing loss solutions, ACCESS TO hearing loss testing and devices and encourage ACTION for those suffering from hearing loss and deafness. Songs for Sound aims to provide everyone with an opportunity to live a mainstream life full of sound and language, and of course, MUSIC.

Let love be our greatest aim. 1 Corinthians 14:1

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