Interview with Catherine R. Jons M.S., CCC-A
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Topic: Helping People Hear Through Charitable Works and Programs
Beck: Hi Catherine. Thanks for your time today. I recall reading about you a few months ago and the wonderful charitable works you're involved with, and I've been looking forward to chatting with you ever since.
Jons: Thanks Doug. I appreciate the opportunity to share my experiences.
Beck: If you don't mind, please start with your professional education and experience please?
Jons: Sure, I received my master's degree in Audiology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1984. I completed my CFY and worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital and later Walter Reed Army Medical Center before returning to my home state of Minnesota. I have worked as a clinical audiologist and coordinator of the hearing-aid program at the University of Minnesota Medical Center for the past 16 years.
Beck: Thanks Catherine. And you're just about to finish the Au.D. program at Central Michigan University
Jons: Yes, I'm in the home stretch completing my capstone.
Beck: OK, that's great! Let me change direction a little and let's talk about the recent "medical mission" you went on and how you got involved with that?
Jons: Sure, in the fall of 2003, I was introduced to a 6-year old Peruvian boy named Miguel. He was sponsored by a charitable group, The Amigos, to come to Minneapolis for medical intervention. Miguel presented with Treacher-Collins Syndrome. As a result, he had multiple facial anomalies, atresia, and bilateral conductive hearing loss. He had never worn a hearing aid. While his mother consulted with the physicians, I placed a headband bone-conduction hearing aid on Miguel and witnessed an amazing transformation in his demeanor. He perked up and noted sounds occurring around him running up to and pointing excitedly at each source. The decision was made to fit Miguel with a bone conduction implant , the Baha System, a device manufactured by Cochlear Ltd. , requiring the surgical implantation of a titanium screw in his skull to which a small coupler and sound processor are attached.
Beck: As I recall, adults take about 3 months to complete osseous integration, and children take six months?
Jons: That's correct. This, however, was longer than Miguel was able to stay in the U.S., so six months later I traveled to his hometown of Flores de Villa through a parallel program sponsored by Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN. I delivered not one, but two sound processors to Miguel, as the company generously donated a back-up sound processor for his use.
Miguel did amazingly well. As soon as he heard through the Baha, he immediately participated in conversations and was smiling all the time. In a follow-up thank-you note from Miguel's grandmother, she indicated that his self-esteem, social, and educational experiences were markedly improved. Miguel and his family couldn't be happier and are eternally grateful.
Beck: Wow. That's wonderful. And while you were there you also dispensed hearing aids?
Jons: Yes, prior to going, we obtained 20 new hearing instruments and reconditioned another 150 hearing aids. We also received generous donations of batteries, earmold materials, desiccant kits, Spanish hearing-aid care brochures, and other related items. We evaluated hearing and fit 22 adults and children with amplification and provided each with a one-year supply of batteries. All instruction and counseling were provided in Spanish by a medical student who accompanied us at all times.
Beck: What was the status of the typical person you fit with hearing aids while on this journey?
Jons: Financially, they had no resources at all. Audiometrically, most had severe-to-profound hearing loss. Some had been previously diagnosed; however, many were unable to afford the recommended amplification.
Beck: What was the most difficult thing for you as a professional?
Jons: The most difficult thing I recall was that frequently, the parents or caregivers had very high, and likely unrealistic expectations. The language barrier and time constraints were added challenges. I took comfort in the fact that we would be returning within the next year and ensured that these individuals understood they could follow-up with us at that time.
Beck: Unrealistic expectations are a challenge even when both parties speak the same language, so that must have been very difficult. I understand that you are in the process of raising $20,000 for the medical post where Miguel lives. Tell me about that.
Jons: Yes, upon returning I created two projects to benefit the citizens of Peru, one of which is to raise $20,000 to re-equip the medical lab at the Flores de Villa. The project is sponsored through the Minneapolis-University Rotary Club, where I am a member, and the Lima Sunrise Rotary Club in Peru. The monetary contributions are made by local Rotary clubs followed by matching grants from the District Rotary and Rotary International. I've made several presentations to Rotary clubs to raise funds and in the process have raised Audiology awareness.
The second project involves collecting socks and briefs for a boy's orphanage the medical-mission team visits each year. The orphanage is a safe haven for 100 boys, ages 8-18 years, who were otherwise living on the streets of Lima. My goal was to collect 1000 pairs of each or its monetary equivalent. We are currently at 4200 pairs! Because this has been such a success, we will offer shoes as well. Protecting the feet is one of the best ways of preventing disease.
Beck: That is fabulous, Catherine. And if any of the readers would like to donate financially, how do they get in touch with you?
Jons: They can send their tax-exempt contribution to the Minneapolis-University Rotary Foundation, c/o Catherine Jons, 516 Delaware Street SE, MMC 283, Minneapolis, MN 55443 or contact me at cjons1@fairview.org for more details.
Beck: What are your long-term plans for returning?
Jons: I'll be heading back to Peru this summer and annually thereafter.
Beck: Is there any one thing you bring the next time you return?
Jons: Yes, not exactly a thing, but a person. My son and daughter will each join me on a future trip to expose them to humanitarian work. The deal is they need to learn Spanish first. It's likely that my 14-year old son will join me in 2006.
Beck: I congratulate you on your phenomenal leadership and effort, and for anyone able to help, I encourage them to contact you.
Jons: Thanks Doug.
For more information, please contact Catherine Jons at Cjons1@fairview.org
Jons: Thanks Doug. I appreciate the opportunity to share my experiences.
Beck: If you don't mind, please start with your professional education and experience please?
Jons: Sure, I received my master's degree in Audiology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1984. I completed my CFY and worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital and later Walter Reed Army Medical Center before returning to my home state of Minnesota. I have worked as a clinical audiologist and coordinator of the hearing-aid program at the University of Minnesota Medical Center for the past 16 years.
Beck: Thanks Catherine. And you're just about to finish the Au.D. program at Central Michigan University
Jons: Yes, I'm in the home stretch completing my capstone.
Beck: OK, that's great! Let me change direction a little and let's talk about the recent "medical mission" you went on and how you got involved with that?
Jons: Sure, in the fall of 2003, I was introduced to a 6-year old Peruvian boy named Miguel. He was sponsored by a charitable group, The Amigos, to come to Minneapolis for medical intervention. Miguel presented with Treacher-Collins Syndrome. As a result, he had multiple facial anomalies, atresia, and bilateral conductive hearing loss. He had never worn a hearing aid. While his mother consulted with the physicians, I placed a headband bone-conduction hearing aid on Miguel and witnessed an amazing transformation in his demeanor. He perked up and noted sounds occurring around him running up to and pointing excitedly at each source. The decision was made to fit Miguel with a bone conduction implant , the Baha System, a device manufactured by Cochlear Ltd. , requiring the surgical implantation of a titanium screw in his skull to which a small coupler and sound processor are attached.
Beck: As I recall, adults take about 3 months to complete osseous integration, and children take six months?
Jons: That's correct. This, however, was longer than Miguel was able to stay in the U.S., so six months later I traveled to his hometown of Flores de Villa through a parallel program sponsored by Grace Church in Eden Prairie, MN. I delivered not one, but two sound processors to Miguel, as the company generously donated a back-up sound processor for his use.
Miguel did amazingly well. As soon as he heard through the Baha, he immediately participated in conversations and was smiling all the time. In a follow-up thank-you note from Miguel's grandmother, she indicated that his self-esteem, social, and educational experiences were markedly improved. Miguel and his family couldn't be happier and are eternally grateful.
Beck: Wow. That's wonderful. And while you were there you also dispensed hearing aids?
Jons: Yes, prior to going, we obtained 20 new hearing instruments and reconditioned another 150 hearing aids. We also received generous donations of batteries, earmold materials, desiccant kits, Spanish hearing-aid care brochures, and other related items. We evaluated hearing and fit 22 adults and children with amplification and provided each with a one-year supply of batteries. All instruction and counseling were provided in Spanish by a medical student who accompanied us at all times.
Beck: What was the status of the typical person you fit with hearing aids while on this journey?
Jons: Financially, they had no resources at all. Audiometrically, most had severe-to-profound hearing loss. Some had been previously diagnosed; however, many were unable to afford the recommended amplification.
Beck: What was the most difficult thing for you as a professional?
Jons: The most difficult thing I recall was that frequently, the parents or caregivers had very high, and likely unrealistic expectations. The language barrier and time constraints were added challenges. I took comfort in the fact that we would be returning within the next year and ensured that these individuals understood they could follow-up with us at that time.
Beck: Unrealistic expectations are a challenge even when both parties speak the same language, so that must have been very difficult. I understand that you are in the process of raising $20,000 for the medical post where Miguel lives. Tell me about that.
Jons: Yes, upon returning I created two projects to benefit the citizens of Peru, one of which is to raise $20,000 to re-equip the medical lab at the Flores de Villa. The project is sponsored through the Minneapolis-University Rotary Club, where I am a member, and the Lima Sunrise Rotary Club in Peru. The monetary contributions are made by local Rotary clubs followed by matching grants from the District Rotary and Rotary International. I've made several presentations to Rotary clubs to raise funds and in the process have raised Audiology awareness.
The second project involves collecting socks and briefs for a boy's orphanage the medical-mission team visits each year. The orphanage is a safe haven for 100 boys, ages 8-18 years, who were otherwise living on the streets of Lima. My goal was to collect 1000 pairs of each or its monetary equivalent. We are currently at 4200 pairs! Because this has been such a success, we will offer shoes as well. Protecting the feet is one of the best ways of preventing disease.
Beck: That is fabulous, Catherine. And if any of the readers would like to donate financially, how do they get in touch with you?
Jons: They can send their tax-exempt contribution to the Minneapolis-University Rotary Foundation, c/o Catherine Jons, 516 Delaware Street SE, MMC 283, Minneapolis, MN 55443 or contact me at cjons1@fairview.org for more details.
Beck: What are your long-term plans for returning?
Jons: I'll be heading back to Peru this summer and annually thereafter.
Beck: Is there any one thing you bring the next time you return?
Jons: Yes, not exactly a thing, but a person. My son and daughter will each join me on a future trip to expose them to humanitarian work. The deal is they need to learn Spanish first. It's likely that my 14-year old son will join me in 2006.
Beck: I congratulate you on your phenomenal leadership and effort, and for anyone able to help, I encourage them to contact you.
Jons: Thanks Doug.
For more information, please contact Catherine Jons at Cjons1@fairview.org
