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May
5, 2011: GOHF board member Melissa Chaikof hosts
"friend-raiser" in newton, MA
On October
5th, a Gift of Hearing Foundation friend-raiser event
was hosted by Melissa and Rachel Chaikof at their home
in Newton. The event was well attended by not only those
already familiar with cochlear implants but also by
those who came to learn about the amazing difference
this technology can make in the lives of recipients.
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▲Senator
Jamie Eldridge, board member and author of CI Access
bills in Massachusetts |
Speakers
included Massachusetts Senator Jamie Eldridge, lead
sponsor of legislation to require health care companies
in the state to pay for cochlear implant surgeries for
children who are deaf and hard of hearing, as well as
Dr. Mark Vecchiotti, cochlear implant surgeon and Chief
of the Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the
Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center
in Boston. Dr. Vecchiotti spoke about the abysmally low
reimbursement level for implant surgery in the state
that doesn’t even cover the cost of the device itself.
Attendees
were then able to hear firsthand from Rachel Chaikof,
age 24, who has been hearing with CIs since she was 2;
her younger sister, Jessica Chaikof, age 16, who
received her first CI at age 15 months; Ben Borhegyi,
age 10, who received his CIs at age 1; and Eileen Jones,
chair and founder of the Gift of Hearing Foundation, who
received her CIs as an adult. In sharing their personal
stories, these recipients convinced all in attendance of
the immeasurable value and the ability to change lives
that cochlear implants provide. |
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▲Melissa Chaikof and her daughter Rachel
make the introductions |
▲Dr. Mark Vecchiotti, Chief of Pediatric Cochlear Impant
Clinic, Tufts New England |
▲Ben Borhegyi (with his mom, Jen) accepts
a token gift from the GOHF |
