Deafness Research Foundation 50th Anniversary Celebration

New York, April 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ The Deafness Research Foundation (DRF) is hosting a special 50th Anniversary Celebration to recognize a half century of achievements in hearing health and research, and to inaugurate the organization's commitment to future endeavors.

The Deafness Research Foundation is one of the largest and oldest hearing research organizations in the US. DRF is dedicated to making a lifetime of hearing health possible for all people through quality research and education. The core mission of DRF is their National Hearing Research Grants Center that awards research grants to scientists who are exploring new avenues in hearing and balance science. Since its founding in 1958, DRF has awarded 2,100 grants, totaling over $24 million.

The DRF 50th Anniversary Gala honorary host committee includes: Kassie and Jim DePaiva, actors from One Life to Live;Lee Woodruff, author and contributor to Good Morning America, and over 115 Members of Congress. Ms. DePaiva will also be performing a number of songs at the event.

DRF is proud to be honoring:

• Collette Ramsey Baker, Founder of the Deafness Research Foundation;
  
  
• Lucille B. Beck, PhD, National Director, Audiology & Speech Pathology and Chief Consultant, Rehabilitation Services, Department of Veterans Affairs
  
  
• Senator Tom Harkin, Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

Event Details

Who: The Deafness Research Foundation

What: 50th Anniversary Celebration

When: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 6:30 p.m.

Where: The Hudson Theatre in the Millennium Broadway Hotel 145 West 44th Street, New York City

Hearing Health Statistics

• Approximately 30 million Americans have a hearing loss sufficient enough to cause communication difficulty.
  
  
• 1 in 10 Americans has a hearing loss that affects their ability to understand speech.
  
  
• Hearing loss affects approximately 17 in 1,000 children under age 18.
  
  
• More than 12,000 children born in the United States each year have significant hearing loss. Undetected hearing loss is likely to interfere with a child's speech, language and communication with others.
  
  
• 15% (approximately 10 million) of baby-boomers (ages 45-64) have hearing loss.

DRF Grant Program

DRF is the leading national source of private funding for basic and clinical research in hearing and balance science. For more information, visit www.drf.org

Taken from www.prnewswire.com/.