This week a team from Jacksonville Hearing and Balance Institute will be traveling to Nigeria to provide teaching opportunities and provide hearing services for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

During their time in Nigeria the team will lead a seminar in the capital city of Abuja regarding cochlear implants. The seminar is intended to provide healthcare professionals with vital information regarding the incidence and impact of hearing loss in Nigeria, raise awareness of cochlear implants and ultimately work towards increasing access to life changing technology for those with severe hearing loss. 

Additionally, the team will travel north to Jos, Nigeria where they will spend a week performing ear related surgeries, fitting hearing aids and programming cochlear implants. Three cochlear implants have been donated by Cochlear Americas to help those with severe to profound hearing loss have access to sound again. Dozens of hearing aids donated from the generous hearts of patients at Jacksonville Hearing and Balance Institute will be programmed and given to those with mild to severe hearing loss who otherwise may not have access to this technology. The impact these donations have on the lives of both children and adults will be felt for years to come.

The team will also have the opportunity to visit and minister to various communities in Jos including schools and orphanages. One of the highlights of the trip will be playing with and interacting with the children as well as talking with community members and learning more about their lives.

We appreciate your thoughts of safe travel for our team and please stay tuned to our social media pages for pictures and updates throughout the next week. We are excited to hear their stories from this life changing experience!