Advocates for good health at VCU are leading a "Let's Hear It! Hearing Loss Awareness" campaign to build understanding about hearing loss prevention during May, designated Better Hearing and Speech Month by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 

 

The Community Heath Education Center (CHEC), the hospital gift shop, VCU Audiology and the MCV Hospital Auxiliary are combining efforts to create educational programs, participatory events and organize information for health consumers. 

 

• "Let's Hear It! Hearing Loss Awareness" program at CHEC, Tuesday, May 10, noon. Lunch provided. Director of the VCU Hearing Center,  Christine Eubanks, M.D., will present an overview about hearing loss and provide information about prevention. She will also share ideas about how health care providers can better communicate with patients who have hearing loss. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, call (804) 828-2432 or email seamick@vcu.edu.
• Interview with audiologist Christine Eubanks from VCU News: VCU Heatlh expert discusses the causes of hearing loss and ways to prevent it
• Loud Shirt Day May 25. Importing an idea from Australia--where fundraisers for deaf children's causes stage events and wear loud, ugy, colorful shirts and outfits--the hospital gift shop will be selling ($23 to $35) loud tie-dyed shirts in honor of the effort. People are encouraged to wear their tee-shirts or other loud shirts on May 25.
• Also on May 25, Arts in the Hospital will stage performances by deaf or hearing impaired musicians and singers. The performance will be in the lobby of the Gateway Building.   
• Throughout the month, CHEC will showcase books and online resources available for people to use to learn more about the ear, hearing, hearing loss and related topics. Also on display will be some hearing aids and other medical artifacts related to hearing.  
• Free earplugs will be given away at CHEC during May.  
• An online component will invite pediatric audiology patients to wear a loud shirt and submit selfies. 
• Twitter and Facebook posts will feature facts and resources about hearing. 

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The Community Health Education Center (CHEC) is a partnership of the VCU Health, VCU Libraries and the MCV Hospitals Auxiliary. This consumer health library provides patients, their family members and the members of the greater Richmond community access to authoritative and accurate health information. CHEC is located in the Gateway Building, 1200 E. Marshall St., Richmond, Va. 23298. (804) 828-2432