Making the Deaf Hear and the Blind to see!

Until recently, Henry was a truck driver. He grew up in Stuttgart and came to Little Rock last January for a job. Last September he failed his vision test and could no longer work. He also began to have more and more trouble with his hearing. A hearing screen and vision test showed that he needed both a hearing aid and cataract surgery.  His loss of income has left him without a place to live, so he is currently staying at Rescue Mission and spends most of his days at Jericho Way. Henry was, able to file for cataract surgery through Medicaid, and has had his surgery. He still has another follow-up to go, but his sight is already so much better!

Unfortunately, Medicaid doesn’t cover hearing aids. Henry now has his hearing aid thanks to you, and especially to the Townsend and Brooks Wolfe Hearing Charitable Fund. The fund was started a year and a half ago by Dr. Brooks Wolfe in memory of her husband, Townsend Wolfe III. “Townsend had the heart of a philanthropist, and I wanted to continue that legacy”. Mr. Wolfe was active in the civil rights movement and continued that effort at the Arts Center during his thirty-four-year tenure. “He made sure to bring in art by women and people of color, he began the art mobile so that low-income communities could have access to art, and he began the Children’s Theater program to encourage young people to become involved with the arts. I chose to continue his legacy by offering my gift to those who can’t afford care, the gift of hearing.”

Dr. Wolfe, along with two of her colleagues, Dr. Hope Keiser and Dr. Pat Highley help nursing home residents, adults with low incomes, and students at Little Rock Preparatory Academy by providing counseling and fitting for amplification devices at no charge.

Henry showed off his new hearing aid when we spoke with him at Jericho Way. He said he loves being able to both see and hear again and hopes to go back to work as soon as his final medical follow-ups are completed. Again thanks to all who helped Henry hear again and we wish Henry all the best in the future!