Over time, I have grown to appreciate returning to the same destination. It not only affords us the ability to see the same patients repeatedly, but we also know what to expect and are able to work more efficiently. During the 2007 trip, Dale and I fit over 150 hearing aids on children and adults. We worked long days and held extra hearing clinics, so no one was turned away.

Unlike past year, this trip took on special meaning when Dale and I sought out individuals who might be interested in learning basic hearing-screening techniques. Two very enthusiastic health care promoters spent a day learning how to evaluate the ear canal, screen hearing and make ear impressions. Dale and I realized that if more individuals could have their hearing loss identified ahead of time and ear impressions sent to us in the states, then lab-quality ear molds could be fabricated and hand carried to Peru along with appropriate hearing aids. This would expedite the evaluation and fitting process enabling us to fit even more instruments during our nine-day stay. Upon returning to the states, we mailed the health care promoters teaching materials written in Spanish to supplement their hands-on experience. I would like to return in 2008 to continue our work fitting hearing aids and training the health care promoters.

During the interim, I will be involved in completing a Rotary/Peru project I created following the 2004 trip that raised funds to re-equip the Flores de Villa medical lab. From local Rotary clubs, I raised $5,000 followed by matching grants from the District Rotary and Rotary International yielding nearly $24,000. I have coordinated efforts with the Lima Sunrise Rotary Club and administrators of Flores de Villa to supervise completion of the project. In an unfortunate turn of events, all Rotary club activity in Peru was suspended in 2006 in order to investigate possible mishandling of funds. Eighteen months later, the suspensions were lifted and the funds released. Over the course of this year, the medical lab  in Flores de Villa will be transformed as a result of these donations. My hopes are that I will be able to return in 2008 to document the improvements made in the medical lab.

Once again, this trip proved to be an exceptionally rewarding experience both personally and professionally. I reconnected with several patients we saw the previous year and look forward to seeing them again. My heartfelt thanks to the Fairview Foundation for providing the mission grant which assisted me in funding this trip.

Catherine Jons, AuD
Fairview Audiologist
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview