Apr 26, 2010
Vancouver Elementary School Combats Noise Induced Hearing Loss with “Sound Sense”
TELUS Vancouver supports Sound Sense
Vancouver, April 26, 2010 – Grade Six students at Vancouver’s Lord Roberts Elementary School learned some “Sound Sense” today in a special presentation about the importance of protecting their hearing. This event was part of an announcement made by The Hearing Foundation of Canada (THFC) in recognition of a $10,000 donation from the TELUS Vancouver Community Board. The donation will support the delivery of THFC’s educational program “Sound Sense: Save Your Hearing for the Music!” to hundreds of Vancouver students in the coming 2010-2011 school year.
The Hearing Foundation of Canada developed Sound Sense in response to rising international concern about the potential of today’s youth to develop permanent hearing loss due to noisy listening habits. With the rapid rise in use of MP3 players in Canada, children have added another element to an already noisy lifestyle. A THFC survey of 140 youth showed that 30 per cent were listening to their MP3 players at levels considered dangerous to hearing.
“The TELUS Vancouver Community Board is pleased support The Hearing Foundation of Canada and their Sound Sense initiative,” said Nini Baird, Chair of the TELUS Vancouver Community Board. “It makes ‘sound sense’ to do our part to help build healthier communities and the TELUS Vancouver Community Board is excited to get involved in such an innovative project. The board thinks that through the use of technology, Sound Sense is both educational and entertaining. It will have a real positive and long-lasting impact on our youth.”
The Sound Sense program is an entertaining and interactive classroom presentation that uses an innovative DVD and sound meter demonstration to show how hearing works, how noise can damage it and what life might be like if they couldn’t hear the sounds they currently enjoy.
“TELUS has carved out a special reputation as a company that fosters healthy communities by investing in young Canadians.” said Dino Sophocleous, President (Acting), The Hearing Foundation of Canada. “We are thrilled to be recipients of their support for our Sound Sense program. The donation from the TELUS Vancouver Community Board will allow us to educate hundreds of children in the Greater Vancouver Area on how to prevent noise-induced hearing loss, a condition that is permanent but completely preventable. On behalf of THFC, I would like to thank TELUS and the TELUS Vancouver Community Board for their visionary leadership in the fight against preventative hearing loss.”
The Hearing Foundation of Canada (THFC) is committed to eliminating the devastating effects of hearing loss on the quality of life of Canadians, particularly youth, by promoting prevention, early diagnosis, leading-edge medical research and successful intervention. THFC has developed numerous programs that seek to improve the hearing health of Canadians, in the areas of public education and medical research.
For more information please visit www.hearingfoundation.ca.
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Contact:
Shirley Cazalet
Sound Sense Coordinator
shirley@cazalet.com
(604) 261-0582
Shawn Hall
TELUS Media Relations
shawn.hall@telus.com
(604) 619-7913
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