Mobile hearing clinic aims to spread hearing loss awareness through music

A mobile hearing clinic is touring the country, not only proving free screenings and ear protection, but also sharing the joy of music. 

Songs for Sound, a charity that works to protect and restore hearing, has been touring the country with a mobile hearing clinic since 2015. The charity stops at local festivals and events to test people’s hearing and bring awareness to hearing loss. 

With around 2,000 hearing tests completed their first summer, this year’d first full-year-tour has been bigger than ever imagined.

“The first years of Songs for Sound were mostly about hosting awareness and fundraising events all across the country, I loved that we donated over $150,000 to hearing programs coast to coast, but couldn’t help but feel I needed more direct contact with those who needed to hear, says Songs for Sound Founder and Director, Jamie Vernon.

“The Hear the Music Project has been so special and intimate. We have directly helped over 6,000 people get a free hearing test, find out how to navigate hearing healthcare, and get the information to make good decisions about ways to hear the music again.”

Inspiration Behind Songs for Sound

The music aspect was a natural addition for the Nashville-based charity.

Jaime has a strong connection to music, having grown up in a household filled with music and her mother always singing to her. She is also married to the brother of Gary LeVox, lead singer of the country music group Rascal Flatts.

After her daughter, Lexie, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss, undergoing a bilateral cochlear implant surgery at 19-months-old, Jaime has leveraged her musical background to spread awareness about hearing loss and health. 

“After we were told Lexi was fine, I would rock her back and forth and sing to her at night,” Jamie says. “She would squirm, turn and cry. I would go out and hand her to my husband, Kevin, crying and wondering why my little girl wouldn’t respond to me. I had just lost my mother to breast cancer, so I just wanted to connect with my daughter. The day we finally found out she was deaf, then heard about our options, it was our miracle. Watching her hear for the first time ignited a passion to serve everyone who was being ‘missed’.”

“Watching her hear for the first time ignited a passion to serve everyone who was being ‘missed’.”

After receiving cochlear implants, Jaime says she watched her daughter hear a whisper for the first time and soon after realized Lexi had never heard her lullaby or the sweet sounds of her singing. She reflected on the number of times that she cried when Lexi didn’t respond to her singing and the pain she felt throughout that experience.

From that point on, Jaime says she did not want any parent to go through what she went through with her daughter, made it her mission to spread awareness about hearing loss, leading to the foundation of Songs for Sound. 

The Hear the Music Tour

Songs for Sound’s Hear the Music project is currently touring the country with a mobile hearing clinic. Hear the Music works with a variety of people, including under-served children, veterans and senior citizens, by testing their hearing and sharing hearing care options.

Community organizations and event organizers are welcome to reach out and book an event. To find out more information about Songs for Sound, their events and tour dates, visit their website. 

Phonak has been a proud sponsor of Songs for Sound since 2015.

• Author Details

Author Details

Kirsten Brackett

Kirsten is the managing editor of Hearing Like Me. She has a moderate hearing loss and currently wears Phonak Audéo B-R rechargeable hearing aids. Outside of working for Hearing Like Me, she can be found exploring new cities, trying out new recipes in her kitchen, or hiking. She loves learning about different cultures and languages.