Music to their Ears: Musicians Join UK Patients and Faculty to Raise Awareness for Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 12, 2015) – Music, for many people, brings great joy. Whether it is singing in the shower or singing in the car; it moves people to dance. Music is as much a part of our language as the spoken word. Can you imagine a world void of sound, unable to enjoy the simple pleasures of music or the voices of your loved ones? As a parent, can you imagine being unable to comfort your crying child with your voice, or not getting a response when you say their name and 'I love you'?

For some Kentucky families, that was a reality until they were led to the University of Kentucky and a team of doctors and health professionals whose life work is to restore hearing to people who suffer from profound hearing loss. 

On a recent Sunday evening at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts, a recital hall full of people came together to celebrate the music of some of country music's most elite songwriters and to support UK's Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program. The event was hosted by Songs for Sound, a Nashville based charity, in partnership with the UK Department of Otolaryngology and the Lexington Speech and Hearing Center, who jointly run the UK Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program.

'Songs for Sound' is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the 360 million people worldwide who suffer from profound hearing loss. The charity was founded by Jamie and Kevin Vernon of Nashville, parents of Alexis, 'Lexie,' who at 1 1/2-years of age, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss.  The Vernons learned that Lexie was eligible for a cochlear implant, a surgically implanted electronic device that can restore a sense of sound. Later that year, Lexie left a world of silence and in the nearly six years since, has blossomed into an active, happy, speaking and hearing child.

"Lexie was not only deaf, but mute as well," Jamie Vernon said. "Without access to sound, she couldn't learn language. Once she could hear, we could teach her to speak. It was a beautiful thing."

The Vernon's personal journey led them to create Songs for Sound. The charity travels across the country hosting 'hEAR the Music' events with the help of friends from Nashville's music industry, in an effort to raise awareness of profound hearing loss. The organization provides free hearing screenings and access to needed resources, such as the resources found at UK.

Although the Vernons' young daughter was the impetus that started it all, the organization also has a HEROES Tour, which teams with the Air Force to help U.S. veterans who represent a significant population of hearing impaired in this country. Vernon says that she specifically seeks out outstanding medical programs around the country to partner with in community outreach and to use as a resource for patient referral.

"An audiological program needs three components to be outstanding," Vernon said. "It needs the heart to embrace patients and go above and beyond to help. It needs the head of brilliant researchers, surgeons, and minds who can think outside the box. They may not have all the answers but are willing to search for solutions. And, they need the support of administration because without that, everything becomes much harder than it has to be."

"UK fits into a very elite niche as one of the most outstanding programs in the U.S. that has all three components. You support our efforts financially and by attending events like hEAR the music. Dr. Bush and his team are some of the most heartfelt people I've ever met. They even help to support our program in Jamaica."

Hearing loss is a major health issue, affecting 48 million people in the United States alone, and about four out of 100 children suffer from some degree in hearing loss. In Kentucky, about two children out of 1,000 are born deaf or with severe hearing loss.

Dr. Matthew Bush, assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and cochlear implant surgeon at UK, is passionate about his work to improve the lives of hearing impaired patients, especially his young patients. In his work and his research, he focuses on rural health disparities of pediatric hearing loss, especially in Appalachia.

“Our research is focused on helping those with hearing loss receive excellent care and in a timely fashion. Many children and adults are delayed in the diagnosis and the treatment of hearing loss, which is due to many factors. By tackling these factors, we are expanding and expediting access to hearing healthcare for all Kentuckians and bridging the gaps in care. We are committed to serve the people of the Commonwealth in giving everyone a chance to ‘hear the music.’ An event such as this enables our program to reach out and support those families that face many obstacles in getting the care they need. The UK Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program is rapidly expanding and the number of children implanted each year has increased 5-fold over the past 15 years. This program has helped restore hearing to over 150 deaf children since 2000."

Children like Ally Combs, 4-year-old daughter of Justin and Carolyn Combs of London, Ky. When Ally was born, she lived in a world of near silence and her parents weren't even aware of it.

"We failed to have Ally's hearing tested at birth. By age one, her hearing was getting progressively worse and she was not progressing in speech development," Justin Combs said.

Ally began to show behavioral problems as well. She would often scream, kick and pound her fists out of frustration because she couldn't communicate what she wanted to her parents and she couldn't understand when they tried to communicate with her. The Combs had Ally tested by a local audiologist in London who suggested they take their daughter to UK to see Dr. Matthew Bush

"Dr. Bush and his whole team is remarkable and they helped us so much," Justin Combs said.

Carolyn Combs said that when they decided to proceed with cochlear implant surgery at UK, they had already met their insurance deductible that year and she really wanted Ally to have the surgery before the end of year so the cost would be covered. The problem was it was nearing the end of the year and Bush had no available openings for surgery until the following year.

"Dr. Bush told us not to worry, he would make it work."

The Combs family received a big belated Christmas gift, or perhaps an early New Year's blessing, when Bush came into work on New Year's Eve for Ally's surgery.

Today, Ally is a little shy but a vivacious little girl with blonde curls and big blue eyes, twirling around the Singletary Center reception hall when her parents call her over and ask her to say her name. She softly and clearly says "Ally" and runs away giggling.

"Since Ally's cochlear implant, she is a completely different little girl," Justin Combs said. "She has changed so much and advanced in her speech and language skills. She likes to sing when she rides in my truck."

Carolyn Combs adds, "I think God led us to UK and Dr. Bush. We can't say enough good things about them. We are blessed."

The word 'blessed' was a resounding theme the night of the Songs for Sound hEAR the Music event.

Morgan Kincaid, a 17-year-old senior at Henry Clay High School, was diagnosed with hearing loss at two years old and used hearing aids through elementary, middle and some of high school when suddenly she noticed that she wasn't hearing as well and missing a lot of little things, like hearing her teacher in the classroom, the sound of footsteps walking behind her, and being able to hear in noisy places like the cafeteria or in restaurants.

Morgan said she and her mom, Kelly Wolf, did a lot of research on doctors and cochlear implants.  "Dr. Bush's name kept coming up over and over as the best for cochlear implants."

"Dr. Bush and the entire team at UK is fantastic," Wolf said. "On our visits to UK when Morgan was in the room, his conversation was directly solely to Morgan. The team made me feel comfortable. They were thorough."

Morgan said that after the surgery, the anesthesia made her sick and she had to be readmitted to the hospital. "He brought me flowers. What doctor does that?"

"I remember right after my surgery, I was sitting in a room with my dad and feeling so annoyed because I could hear his watch ticking," she said smiling and tearing up.

"I feel so blessed to be…..to  hear. I can hear."

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The UK Department of Otolaryngology has been the primary cochlear implant center of central and eastern Kentucky since 1989. Both Dr. Raleigh Jones and Dr. Matthew Bush are fellowship-trained and board-certified cochlear implant surgeons. In addition to Dr's Bush and Jones, the cochlear implant team at UK includes Margaret Adkins, Abby Mattingly and Lindsey Walker, cochlear implant audiologists. More than 500 adults and children have undergone cochlear implantation at our instution, which is recognized as a Center of Excellence. Patients at the University of Kentucky have a choice between all three FDA-approved cochlear implant devices.

Media Contact: Ann Blackford at 859-323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu