Our activities
As the implants are surgically inserted in the ears of the little patients for their lifetime, it is vital for each of these children to receive the latest model – which is also, unfortunately, the most expensive one. While ever since January 2012 the Estonian Health Insurance Fund covers the full price of the actual implant the regularly updated processors that go with it and other expensive accessories remain the partial responsibility of the implanted children. Non-profit organisation Audiere helps to pay for these much needed parts.
We have organised numerous charity concerts, dinners and other events, also getting single donations. Over a period of almost seven years since the establishment of our association we have used the collected sums to finance the purchases of over 60 cochlear implants for a total of over 70 children and adults. In 2007 we allocated 76,700 Estonian kroons for the purchase of an otoacoustic emissions device for hospital-based screening of hearing of infants for early discovery or deafness/hearing deterioration.
One important activity of ours is cochlear implant presentation and practical popularisation among both deaf people and hearers. Every year deaf children are born to deaf parents and these children can become hearers and good speakers with cochlear implants. Lack of knowledge and experience often affect relevant decision-making in such families. Audiere participates in information projects aimed at deaf people and we are interested in developing cooperation in this field with other organisations.
