July Newsletter: MLB Legends Help Give the Gift of Hearing

MLB Legends Help Give the Gift of Hearing

A star-studded swing of hearing missions filled with some sports heroes led the way to Gala weekend!  In Kenya, the team welcomed NHL player David Backes to help open up the world of sound to people in need in Nairobi. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of the Congo, current and former NBA stars Dikembe Mutombo, Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo, joined the team, as we partnered with the Dikembe Motombo Foundation and NBA Cares on our first hearing missions in these countries. We returned to our headquarters in Minnesota just in time to partner with Major League Baseball for a homegrown hearing mission associated with the MLB All-Star Game. 

Many of the patients in the DRC had not known it was possible to treat their hearing loss. They had accepted their retreat into silence. Working at the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital built by the Dikembe Motombo Foundation, the team gave these patients the hope and opportunity that had once been beyond imagination.

Working closely with MLB in Minnesota, we welcomed patients from Special Olympics, the Boys and Girls Club and from as far away as California. MLB greats Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield, Jack Morris, Lou Brock, Scott Erickson, Reggie Sanders and Eric Davis stopped by to give patients encouragement and show their support for the gift of hearing.

One young boy stole all the hearts in the room. Four-year-old Moise was adopted from the Democratic Republic of the Congo when he was 1. As he was adjusting to his new life in Minnesota, his family noticed that he seemed to have trouble understanding and responding to people. They thought he was struggling to learn English, but this bright boy was actually struggling with hearing loss. During the hearing mission, Moise received new hearing aids, giving him a deeper connection to the world. Once he was fit, he could not wait to show the players his muscles while he climbed all over mascots Chicago Cubs’ Clark the Cub and Colorado Rockies’ Dinger. 

Next Up: Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia and Peru

Follow All the Gala Excitement on Social Media

The 2014 So the World May Hear Awards Gala is upon us! This Sunday stars will align at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minnesota to celebrate the spirit of giving and support the gift of hearing.

Don’t have tickets? No problem! Follow along with all the excitement on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and join the conversation using the hashtag - #starkeygala.

If you cannot join us at Gala, you can still help give the gift of hearing. Donate today, and change a life!