The Power of CIAF
The Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation exists to provide information, resources, support, and financial assistance to persons who may be eligible for this life-changing technology.
In existence just since 2005, we are already hearing stories of how we’ve helped change people’s lives.
The Sandstrom Story
My name is Jennifer Sandstrom, I spoke with you early today on the phone for possible funding relief. I was given your name by a woman that works at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in the audiology department and also has a child with a CI. She had told me that your foundation can either help with funds for travel or tell me of someone or some group that can.
We live in Flagstaff, Arizona, which is 150 miles north of Phoenix. My son, Hunter, is 2 and 1/2 years old and currently only 1 of 2 CI recipients in our town. Due to the lack of other children/adults with CIs there are no resources for us to utilize here, therefore every Tuesday and Wednesday we travel to Phoenix and back for speech. We have been going 2x a week since March of 2007 and before that we were only able to go 1 time a week due to the cost of travel. Hunter began therapy in July of 2006 with Valeri Le Beau at Phoenix Children’s Hospital; at that time we had a diesel truck and could not afford the $600.00 a month in fuel it would have cost us to go down twice a week. Luckily in March we were able to trade our truck for a more efficient Toyota Prius. Although the car gets much better gas mileage we still have to come up with approximately $250.00 extra a month. This due to the fact that I do not work and stay at home with Hunter and our other child, can make things a little tight.
As we are planning on continuing our biweekly trips for at least another year any help we receive is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your donation - you've truly helped our family.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Sandstrom
Note: CIAF was able to donate $250 to the Sandstrom family for travel expenses.
Randy Martin
Thanks for your help on the phone this afternoon. I have forwarded all the information to my daughter and her new husband (of two weeks) I will be sure to let you know how this works out. Also, I ordered some of your wrist bands. Thanks again, and it was great talking to you!
Randy Martin
www.cre8ivegroup.com
The Hoedebecke Story
If any of you have read the story of our son Caleb on this website, we need to update you with the good news that he now has bilateral implants! We have been so fortunate to have my insurance provider cover all of his first implant and related costs, with other assistance from Illinois Division of Specialized Care for Children reimbursing us for gas and food expenses for the many trips we have to make back and forth to St Louis, MO for mappings and other evaluations. When we learned that DSCC's policy does not allow for reimbursements related to bilateral implants because they feel that they are still experimental, we were faced with these extra costs on our own. With family and life changes at the same time, this was going to be a hardship, so I sought out the assistance of CIAF. We all know how expensive gas is these days and without the help of CIAF and Michelle, we would be struggling to afford all of these trips back and forth (as many as twice a week in the beginning). We truly think that this foundation is a blessing and appreciate the help that we were able to receive. We will continue to support the foundation in any way that we can and encourage others to do so, so that future families and individuals will be able to utilize their program. Thank you CIAF!
The Hoedebeckes - Springfield, IL
Cari, Cory and Caleb
The Kolle Story
While reading the Hearing Loss magazine at my son's home in Tucson, Arizona last December of 2005, I came across the notice about the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation. I quickly accessed the information on the Internet and my son and I filled out the needed information. As my son had his cochlear implant at Mayo Hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona in September of 2005, we were looking for ways to help with the financial cost of the surgery that his insurance did not pay. I spoke to Michelle Tjelmeland on the phone and she was eager to help in any way that she could. She counseled me via e-mail and through many phone calls. She directed me to another foundation to see if they might also help. When that was not feasible, she urged me to contact Mayo Clinic to see if they might look at my son's account and perhaps reduce the outstanding bill which was quite a substantial amount. After speaking to a financial counselor at Mayo, they looked at his account and had him fill out needed paperwork. After checking out the needed information, they decided they would reduce his bill because of financial hardship.
Because of Michelle's dedication to help families with cochlear implant financial burdens, this reduction of the bill became reality. Her encouragement helped me to make that phone call to Mayo Clinic to see if anything could be done for my son, Kerry. Thanks doesn't seem enough for the emotional support given to us during this time of financial stress. We are so thankful for the cochlear implant team at Mayo, for the financial department at Mayo, and especially to foundations like CIAF that are here to help. I would encourage anyone to contact the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation for emotional and financial support.
Sincerely,
Kathy and Kerry Kolle
The Pierce Story
Dear Michelle,
I can't even put into words how thankful I am for all the help you've given me. Your paying for my hotel stay, taxi fares, train tickets, and meals so that I can visit my CI doctor who is nearly 8 hours away means so much to me. You are truly a blessing. If possible, we would like to stop and meet you to thank you personally for all of your help that you are giving me. I will keep in touch with you.
May GOD always bless you,
Raymond Pierce
Fargo, North Dakota
