Humanitarian Mission to Benefit Brazil’s Most Impoverished Communities

Audiologist Lindsay Bondurant, PhD

Audiologist Lindsay Bondurant, PhD

Two audiologists from Illinois State University—Lindsay Bondurant, PhD and second-year AuD student Ellen Avoletta—have been selected to travel to the Oticon Clinic in Parintins, Brazil as part of Project Amazon.

The Oticon Hearing Foundation will again underwrite the costs for the humanitarian mission that provides audiology care and hearing solutions to children and adults from some of Brazil’s most impoverished communities. 

The US audiologists will work with Oticon staff to screen in-need children and adults and fit Oticon hearing instruments donated by the Oticon Hearing Foundation.  The American Academy of Audiology Foundation’s Educational Grants Review Committee selected the two audiologists from the pool of applicants who applied for the mission this year.

“We are pleased to welcome the Project Amazon audiologists and look forward to their contributions to the work of our Oticon team here in Parintins,” said Alessandra Agarez, manager of human resources and social responsibility. “We serve a large and diverse population and having the opportunity to add the skill and expertise of volunteer audiologists enables us to provide sustainable care for more people and further ensure their ongoing hearing health.”

Audiology Graduate Student Ellen Avoletta

Audiology Graduate Student Ellen Avoletta

Bondurant and Avoletta will travel to Parintins from November 15 – 25 and will report on their experiences in Parintins in blogs posted on the Oticon Hearing Foundation website.

This is the third year that the Oticon Hearing Foundation has underwritten travel and expenses and supplied hearing instruments and batteries for a humanitarian mission to Brazil.

In 2011, the Foundation also funded a Mission to Xanthia in the Vredefort Dome area of South Africa.

Source: Oticon