Audiology Department Attends Orlando Special Olympics Games
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- Alli Benedetti, Au.D. student, class of 2024, preparing to use the ear wash for cerumen removal.
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- Farzon Danesh, Au.D. student, class of 2024, performing cerumen management on an athlete assisted by Au.D. students, class of 2027, Amanda Cole and Taylor Morales.
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- From right, Jackie Davie, a Special Olympics athlete and hearing aid recipient, and Au.D. students, class of 2027, Tamara Blemur, and Katelyn Jacobsen.
The Special Olympics of Florida Summer Games returned this May for the first time in three years. A large part of the State Games includes the Healthy Athlete program, which provides those athletes with free health screenings, treatment, and access to necessary medical devices and education. The 2023 Summer Games provided the athletes with over 3,500 screenings across multiple disciplines ranging from vision, fitness, dental, and hearing, just to name a few.
From right, Karah Gottschalk, assistant professor of audiology; Jackie Davie, audiology professor; and Au.D. students, class of 2027, Kathryn Dziwulski, Tamara Blemur, Amanda Cole, Taylor Morales, Katelyn Jacobsen, and Carly Kosciolek, in front of Disney ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida.
Healthy Hearing has been a part of the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete program for many years, and the NSU Department of Audiology, has played an active role in the Healthy Hearing program since 2010. This year was no exception. Jackie Davie, Ph.D., NSU audiology professor, and South Florida regional coordinator for Healthy Hearing program helped organize and run the event. She was joined by eight NSU Doctor of Audiology program students and fellow faculty member, Karah Gottschalk, Au.D., Ph.D., NSU audiology assistant professor, who all volunteered for the 2023 Summer Games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando. The NSU students were joined by fellow audiology and speech pathology graduate and undergraduate students from across the state. In total, nearly 40 students and ten audiologists helped with the event.
Five hundred and twenty-five athletes had their hearing screened over the two-day event. In addition, about 100 athletes received ear cleanings thanks to faculty member Gottschalk and several of our students, while over 25 were identified as having significant hearing loss that can be helped with the use of hearing aids. The athletes with significant hearing loss were provided with vouchers through the Starkey Cares program. This program provides the athletes with free hearing aids and follow-up care. One athlete returned to the NSU Audiology clinic shortly after the games, where she was fit with her own hearing aids thanks to the Starkey Cares program.
Taylor Morales, Au.D. students, class of 2027, and Special Olympics athlete after a hearing screening.
The Healthy Athletes program can only continue to provide help to the underserved athletes and individuals with intellectual disabilities with the help of medical professionals and students. In addition, students gain valuable experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities. The reward of service not only benefits the athletes, but it also benefits the volunteers.
If you would like to volunteer with the Healthy Athletes program, feel free to contact faculty member, Jackie Davie at Jackie.davie@nova.edu, for additional information.
Posted 06/18/23