Having a Ball in Zambia with Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick

Last April, we were thrilled to have NFL superstar Aaron Rodgers and racecar driving legend Danica Patrick join us for a phase 2 hearing mission at the Starkey Hearing Institute in Lusaka, Zambia. With Aaron gearing up for an exciting season with the Green Bay Packers and Danica preparing for her final Indy 500, we were honored that the couple gave their time to travel with us and give the gift of hearing to more than 100 children and adults. The patients, who had journeyed from across Zambia, received new hearing devices that allowed them to reconnect them to the world around them.

Alfred Mwamba, Starkey Hearing Institute executive director, and students in training at the Institute hosted the mission and welcomed the team of volunteers to the beautiful campus.

“We are excited to be here in Zambia at the Starkey Hearing Institute, fitting so many people and giving them the gift of hearing,” Mwamba said. “When we have people like Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick coming to visit with us and sharing this moment, it helps to spread the word.”

“It’s a beautiful thing to be halfway across the world helping these people out. The look on their face means everything,” Rodgers told us.

“You really have to be paying attention when you’re doing the fitting because it’s so new to them that you have to watch for the little flinch or the moment or the slight smile,” Patrick explained. “It’s those little moments that make you go ‘Oh my gosh, they just heard something for the first time.’”

After a full day of fittings, the day ended with a coaching session from the record-setting quarterback.