The rising trend is something that researchers and physicians at the University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute are hoping to reverse, with a cocktail of vitamins and the mineral magnesium that has shown promise as a possible way to prevent hearing loss caused by loud noises. The nutrients were successful in laboratory tests, and now researchers are testing whether humans will benefit as well.
"The prevention of noise induced hearing loss is key," says Glenn E. Green, M.D. (http://www2.med.umich.edu/healthcenters/provider_profile.cfm?individual_id =112086), assistant professor of otolaryngology at the U-M Health System and director of the U-M Children's Hearing Laboratory.
"When we can't prevent noise-induced hearing loss through screening programs and use of hearing protection, then we really need to come up with some way of protecting people who are still going to have noise exposure. My hope is that this medication will give people a richer, fuller life."
The combination of vitamins A, C and E, plus magnesium, is given in pill form to patients who are participating in the research. Developed at the U-M Kresge Hearing Research Institute, the medication, called AuraQuell, is designed to be taken before a person is exposed to loud noises. In earlier testing at U-M on guinea pigs, the combination of the four micronutrients blocked about 80 percent of the noise-induced hearing impairment.
Now, AuraQuell is being tested in a set of four multinational human clinical trials: military trials in Sweden and Spain, an industrial trial in Spain, and a trial involving students at the University of Florida who listen to music at high volumes on their iPods and other PDAs, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This is the first NIH-funded clinical trial involving the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.
"If we can even see 50 percent of the effectiveness in humans that we saw in our animal trials, we will have an effective treatment that will very significantly reduce noise-induced hearing impairment in humans. That would be a remarkable dream," says co-lead researcher Josef M. Miller, Ph.D. (http://www.khri.med.umich.edu/faculty/miller.php ), the Lynn and Ruth Townsend Professor of Communication Disorders and director of the Center for Hearing Disorders at the U-M Department of Otolaryngology's Kresge Hearing Research Institute. Miller is leading the research along with colleagues at Karolinska Institute, where Miller also has an appointment; the University of Florida; and the University Castille de La Mancha.
Until a decade ago, it was thought that noise damaged hearing by intense mechanical vibrations that destroyed the delicate structures of the inner ear. There was no intervention to protect the inner ear other than reducing then intensity of sound reaching it, such as ear plugs, which are not always effective. It was then discovered that noise caused intense metabolic activity in the inner ear and the production of molecules that damage the inner ear cells; and that allowed the discovery of an intervention to prevent these effects.
The laboratory research that led to a new understanding of the mechanisms underlying noise induce hearing loss was funded by the NIH; the preclinical translational research that led to the formulation of AuraQuell as an effective preventative was funded by General Motors and the United Auto Workers.
Miller notes that the military tests in the new study could be of particular importance because of the high number of soldiers who develop hearing loss in the line of duty, due to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other noises.
Last year, he says, the Department of Defense spent approximately $1.5 billion in compensation for hearing impairment, and Veterans Affairs hospitals spent close to $1 billion for clinical care and treatment of hearing impairment. The most recent figures in a report by the Institute of Medicine (http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3795/20024/29957.aspx) indicated that one-third of returning soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq cannot be redeployed specifically because of hearing impairment.
"Not only is it an enormous factor in quality of life for the individual affected, in cost to society for health care and compensation," Miller says, "but it fundamentally compromises the effectiveness of our military at this time." Miller has launched a U-M startup company called OtoMedicine (http://www.otomedicine.com), which holds the license to developed the vitamin-and-magnesium pill for human application.
Hearing loss commonly occurs, Green says, when loud noises trigger the formation of molecules inside the ear and these molecules cause damage to the hair cells of the inner ear. The cells then shut down and scar, and they cannot grow back.
The U-M researchers discovered that this new combination of vitamins, when mixed with magnesium, can prevent noise-induced damage to the ears by blocking some of these complex cellular reactions. Read more about the science of hearing loss, free radicals in hearing loss, and the science behind the effectiveness of these nutrients, in this press release (http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2007/hearingloss.htm).
Disclosure: If and when revenues are generated by the vitamin and magnesium formulation developed at U-M, the University and the developers could benefit financially.
Hearing loss currently affects more than 36 million Americans. Although hearing problems are commonly associated with the normal aging process, more than half of all hearing-impaired persons are younger than 65. With the increased use of personal music players (MP3 players) and earbuds, the number of Americans experiencing hearing loss at a younger age is growing.
In response to the growing number of Americans experiencing hearing loss, the American Academy of Audiology has launched the annual National Audiology Awareness Month and National Protect Your Hearing Month, starting October 2008.
An audiologist is a highly educated, clinically trained licensed health-care professional who specializes in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating people with hearing loss and balance disorders. Audiologists treat patients of all ages-newborns, infants, babies, toddlers, children, teens, adults, and the elderly. The first step in treatment of a hearing issue is a hearing evaluation by an audiologist.
"Hearing loss can be caused by a number of things such as noise exposure, ear infections, trauma, certain medications, as well as, hearing loss related to the aging process," explains Patricia Gaffney, AuD, assistant professor, Nova Southeastern University.
You may have a problem with your hearing and need to see an audiologist if you have trouble hearing conversation in a noisy environment such as a restaurant, are unable to understand people talking to you without looking at them, or have a constant ringing in your ears.
Audiologists have a variety of specialties that include, but are not limited to:
-- Prescribing and fitting hearing aids
-- Assisting with cochlear implant programs
-- Designing and implementing hearing conservation programs and newborn hearing screening programs
-- Providing hearing rehabilitation training such as
- Auditory training
- Speech reading
- Listening skills improvement
-- Providing rehabilitation for tinnitus or ear noises and some positional dizziness problems
Although most hearing loss that is caused by nerve damage is permanent, an audiologist can determine the best treatment to improve and enhance communication, which may include hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and/or hearing rehabilitation.
You be the Judge
A deaf man and his young deaf wife were in divorce court, but the custody of their children posed a problem.
The mother leaped to her feet and protested to the judge that since she brought the children into this world, she should retain custody of them.
The man also wanted custody of his children, so the judge asked for his justification.
After a long silence, the man slowly rose from his chair and replied in sign...
"Your Honor, when I put a dollar in a vending machine and a Coke comes out, does the Coke belong to me or the machine?"
ONE SPRING DAY, ONE DEAF MAN, AND ONE HEARING MAN WERE OUT IN THE WOODS HUNTING. FEELING A SUDDEN NEED TO RELIEVE HIMSELF, DEAF GEORGE WENT OVER TO A NEARBY CLUMP OF BUSHES, UNZIPPED HIS FLY, AND STARTED IN WHEN A POISONOUS SNAKE LUNGED OUT OF THE GREENERY AND BIT HIM ON HIS PRIVATES. DEAF GEORGE HOWLED IN PAIN AND FRIGHT, AND WAVED HIS HAND OUT. HIS HEARING FRIEND, FRED, CAME RUNNING UP AND TOLD HIM TO LIE STILL WHILE HE RUSHED INTO TOWN FOR A DOCTOR.
"THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO SAVE YOUR FRIEND'S LIFE", SAID THE DOCTOR, GRAVELY. "IF YOU CUT AN "X" OVER THE BITE AND SUCK OUT THE VENOM, HE'LL BE OKAY, BUT OTHERWISE THERE'S NOT MUCH HOPE".
FRED ROSE WEAKLY UP ON ONE ELBOW AND CRIED OUT, "WHAT'D HE SAY?" WHAT DID THE DOCTOR SAY?” "GEORGE, OLD FRIEND", SAID FRED SADLY, "HE SAID YOU'RE GONNA DIE!"
A MAN WENT INTO A BAR AFTER WORK ONE DAY, AND AFTER A BEER OR TWO HE NOTICED A DEAF MAN PASSED OUT IN THE CORNER. AFTER AN HOUR OR SO THE FELLOW WAS STILL VERY DRUNK AND INCOHERENT, SO, BEING A NICE GUY, THE FIRST MAN DECIDED TO TAKE HIM HOME.
HE LOOKED UP THE DRUNK'S ADDRESS IN HIS WALLET, THEN STARTED STRUGGLING TO GET THE MAN OUT TO HIS CAR. DRAGGING, HEAVING, AND FINALLY CARRYING THE DEAF MAN, HE FINALLY REACHED HIS CAR: THEN THE PROCESS HAD TO BE REPEATED IN FRONT OF THE DRUNKS' HOUSE. AT LAST THE NICE GUY GOT THE DEAF MAN UP TO THE DOOR AND RANG THE BELL, WHICH WAS PROMPTLY ANSWERED BY PLEASANT-LOOKING MOTHER . "OH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING HIM HERE," SAID. "BUT WHERE'S HIS WHEELCHAIR?"
A deaf couple checks into a motel. They retire early. In the middle of the night, the wife wakes her husband complaining of a headache and asks him to go to the car and get some aspirin from the glove compartment. Groggy with sleep, he struggles to get up, puts on his robe, and goes out of the room to his car. He finds the aspirin, and with the bottle in hand he turns toward the motel. But he cannot remember which room is his. After thinking a moment, he returns to the car, places his hand on the horn, holds it down, and waits. Very quickly the motel rooms light up, all but one. It's his wife's room, of course. He locks up his car and heads toward the room without a light.
A Mafia gang takes on a deaf man to run their deliveries, feeling it would be safer having someone unable to overhear conversations. However, one day when he is to deliver a large sum of money, he never shows up with it. The mobsters track him down, but don't find the money on him. As none of them are able to use sign language, they bring in an interpreter.
Mobster: "Where'd you hide the money?" (Interpreter signs the question.)
The bag man signs his reply. The interpreter says, "He says he had to ditch it in the river because the cops were onto him."
Mobster: "I'm not fooling around! You better tell me where that money is!" (Interpreter again signs.)
The bag man signs his reply, and the interpreter relays, "He swears he is telling the truth. He had to get rid of it."
The mobster pulls out a revolver and points it between the deaf man's eyes. "Tell me where that money is, or I'll kill you right now!" (Interpreter signs his statement.)
The bag man, sweating profusely, signs, "It's inside a shoebox under a loose floorboard in my bedroom closet."
The interpreter says, "He says he doesn't know where it is and he doesn't think you have the guts to pull the trigger."
Researchers tell us that only about 25 percent of what is said can be understood by lipreading.
For example:
Suppose a woman says:
"This place is a mess! C'mon,
You and I need to clean this place up,
Your stuff is lying all over on the floor
and you'll have no clothes to wear tomorrow
unless we do the laundry right now!"
Her lipreading husband will get :
blah, blah, blah, blah, C'MON
YOU AND I blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah, ON THE FLOOR
blah, blah, NO CLOTHES blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah, RIGHT NOW!
HOT MAMMA :
A 92 year-old man went to the Doctor to get a physical.
A few days later the Dr. saw the man walking down the street
with a gorgeous young lady on his arm.
A couple of days later the Dr. talked to the man and said, "You're
really doing great, aren't you?"
The man replied, "Just doing what you said Doctor, 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful."
The Doctor said, "I didn't say that. I said you got a heart
murmur. Be careful."
NEW HEARING AID :
An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."
The gentleman replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"
HARD OF HEARING WIFE?
An old man was wondering if his wife had a hearing problem. So one night, he stood behind her while she was sitting in her lounge chair. He spoke softly to her, "Honey, can you hear me?" There was no response. He moved a little closer and said again, "Honey, can you hear me?" Still, there was no response. Finally he moved right behind her and said, "Honey, can you hear me?" She replied, "For the third time, Yes!"
SILENT AND ODORLESS :
A guy walks into the doctor's office and says, "Doctor, you've got to help me. I pass gas HUNDREDS of times a day."
He tells the doctor that it's silent and odorless. Then he says, "Doctor, you won't believe this but I've passed gas ten times while we've been talking."
So the doctor gives him some pills, "Here, take two of these every day and come see me in two weeks."
The guy comes back in one week complaining, Doctor, what's in these pills? I still have the gas, it's still silent, but now it smells absolutely TERRIBLE!"
The doctor says, "Well that takes care of your sinus problem, now let's work on your hearing."
PIGS :
What language do pigs speak?
Swine language.
PORCUPINES :
What language do porcupines speak?
Spine language.
FROGS :
There once was this mad scientist. One day, being curious of the nature of frogs, he propped a frog up on his desk, opened his log book and carefully observed the animal. After staring at it for a considerable amount of time, the scientist finally said: "JUMP!"
And the frog jumped.
The scientist then quickly jotted down in his log book: "Frogs can jump." The following day, the mad scientist entered his lab, checked his log book, put the frog up on the table and, again, stared at it. Finally, he took out a scalpel, removed one of the frog legs and said: "JUMP!"
And the frog jumped.
The scientist quickly added to his log book: "Frogs can jump with three legs."
The next day, the scientist, upon entering his lab, went through the same routine, cutting off another of the frog legs. As he was staring at the wretched animal who now was missing two legs, he said: "JUMP!"
And the frog jumped.
The scientist then added to his previous observations: "Frogs can jump with two legs."
On the fourth day, the scientist behaved according to his habits and removed a third leg from the frog. He then expectantly said: "JUMP!"
And the frog jumped.
Well, by now, the scientist was quite excited about all this. He wrote down in his log book: "Frogs can jump with only one leg!"
Finally, on the fifth day, the scientist entered his lab, already thrilled by what new discoveries he might make. As usual, he checked his log book, placed the frog on the table, stared at what was left of the animal, reached for his scalpel and removed the last of the frog legs. He then said: "JUMP!"
But alas the frog did not leap.
"JUMP! JUMP!" exclaimed the scientist.
Still, the frog did not leap.
"JUMP!" yelled the scientist.
The frog did not leap.
The scientist, then wrote down in his log book: "Frogs when deprived of all legs become deaf."
WIFE FELL OUT :
A fellow who had a little too much to drink is driving home from the city one night, and of course, his car is weaving all over the road. A cop pulls him over. "So," says the cop to the driver, where have ya been?" "Why, I've been to the pub of course," slurs the drunk "Well," says the cop, "it looks like you've had quite a few to drink this evening." "I did all right," the drunk says with a smile. "Did you know," says the cop, standing straight and folding his arms across his chest, "that a few intersections back, your wife fell out of your car?" "Oh, thank heavens," sighs the drunk. "For a minute there, I thought I'd gone deaf."
LOVED WORKING :
A female missionary who worked with Deaf returned home. She gave her "missionary report" to the congregation. In the audience were some of the male missionaries she knew from her mission. The male missionaries were called Elders. These Elders were deaf.
Because she worked somewhat with the deaf elders and learned some sign language on her mission she decided to sign part of her talk. She thought she had signed "I really loved 'working' with the Deaf Elders."
The former Elders in the audience burst out laughing
She was embarrassed a bit but finished her talk--then went down to the elders to confront them as to why they laughed.
They explained the sign she used was similar to work but actually meant "make out" (as in necking).
FOUR MEN ON A TRAIN :
Four men (a Russian, a Cuban, and a Deaf American, and an interpreter) are on a train. The Russian throws a half empty bottle of vodka out the window. When the Deaf American and the Cuban react with surprise, he explains that "That vodka tasted bitter. Back home in Russia , we have much better vodka!" So then the Cuban throws a half smoked cigar out the window saying, "That cigar tasted awful. Not like the ones we have in Cuba ."
Then the Deaf American stands up, grabs the interpreter, and throws him out the window, signing "He used signed English."
MORE "LOVIN "
A husband and wife went to the doctor. [The husband is hard of hearing]
The doctor says to the wife, "You've got to do 3 things to keep your husband well."
"1st you got to keep everything real clean and smooth. You got to iron everything."
"2nd you got to fix him fresh meals every day from scratch. No left overs, no fast or frozen foods."
"3rd you got to give him more lovin."
They get home and the husband asks, "Well what did the doctor say?"
The wife looks at him and responds, "You're going to die."
FARTS :
Question: Why did God make farts smell?
Answer: So Deaf people could enjoy them too.
SUPPOSITORY :
An older gentleman had lost his hearing aid and wanted to get a new one. Before getting the new hearing aid, he wanted his ear cleaned out, so he went to his doctor.
As the doctor was cleaning his ears, he noticed a foreign object lodged in the man's ear canal. With a pair a tweezers, the doctor removed the object. Upon closer examination, he discovered that it
was a suppository. The doctor told the older gentleman that he had a suppository stuck in his ear.
At this, the man exclaimed, "Now I know where I put my hearing aid!"
DEAF COUPLE AT HOTEL:
A deaf couple checks into a hotel. They retire early. In the middle of the night, the wife wakes her husband complaining of a headache and asks him to go to the car and get some aspirin from the glove compartment. Groggy with sleep, he struggles to get up, puts on his robe, and goes out of the room to his car. He finds the aspirin, and with the bottle in hand he turns toward the motel. But he cannot remember which room is his. After thinking a moment, he returns to the car, places his hand on the horn, holds it down, and waits. Very quickly the hotel rooms light up, all but one. It's his wife's room, of course. He locks up his car and heads toward the room without a light.
DON'T HAVE TO YELL :
I noticed a deaf couple in the library talking to each other, evidently in a heated argument. The wife was getting more upset, using large signs, her husband could see that she was upset. Finally, he took both her hands in his, and signed, "Honey, you don't have to yell, I am not blind!"
HAIR CUT :
One day a blind man goes to a barber for a haircut.
After the cut he asks the barber about his bill. "I am sorry, I cannot accept money from you I am doing community service for handicapped this week." The blind man is pleased and leaves the shop.
The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.
Later a man in wheelchair comes in for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber, and the barber replies: "I am sorry I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service for handicapped this week." The wheelchair man is happy and leaves the shop.
The next morning the barber goes to open his shop, there is a thank you card and a box of dozen muffins waiting at his door.
A deaf man comes for a hair cut and when he asks the barber what he owes, the barber wrote on paper: "I am sorry I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service for handicapped this week. The deaf man is very happy and leaves.
The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, there are a dozen deaf people waiting at his door.
MILK:
Make the sign for "milk. "Continue making the "milk" sign—but move it in front of your eyes.
Can you guess what "sign" that is?...
......It's "pasteurized milk" (past-your-eyes)
AIDS
One day at the end of a church meeting, the person conducting asked, "Is there was anything more that needs to be brought up before we end the meeting?"
One of the oldest members slowly raised his hand. "Yes. I guess I should tell you that I'm going to have to resign my position." Most of the members around the table looked surprised at the gentleman. He continued, "I went to the doctor the other day. I now have AIDS." Astonishment filled the room. As they starred at him in amazement, he went on. "It's true. I now have an aid in my left ear and another in my right ear!"
(Kerry Rasmussen from Ogden Utah swears this is a true story.)
DEAF GERMANS:
A young deaf American was taking a vacation overseas. He got a Eurail pass and toured Holland , France , Belgium , and a bunch of other places before ending up in Germany . At his first village, he went into a pub and there, off in the corner, were three older German gentlemen who were signing. They appeared to be deaf. The young man watched and figured he could understand the signs enough to carry on a conversation.
He got a beer and asked if they would allow him to join them, and they did. They chatted about this and that, and soon conversation gave way to how each of them became deaf. The first older German said, "Well, I was a soldier in WWII, and my platoon was hit by a big American mortar, and it exploded near my head, and I lost all my hearing." The American boy was kind of saddened by this. The second German went on:" I was in a UBoat and my job was to listen for enemy ships. An American destroyer dropped a depth bomb on my ship, and it went off very close to it, and I lost my hearing as a result." Oh no, thinks the young American. How awful. The third German held forth: "I was in a plane, and we were struck by a bomb, and it went off right next to me, and it blew out my ears, and that is how I lost my hearing."
Well, that was just awful, the young American thinks. My country is indirectly responsible for these poor chaps going deaf. He was sad about this until they asked him how he became deaf. Smiling, he signed, "Well, before I was born, my mom got German measles."
BIG BREATHS :
At the beginning of my shift I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and slightly deaf female patient's anterior chest wall. "Big breaths," I instructed. Yes, they used to be," remorsefully replied the patient.
--Dr. Richard Byrnes, Seattle , WA
SPEEDING TICKET:
A hearing man is hitchhiking late at night on an isolated highway. His car had broken down and he was hoping for a ride to the nearest town or telephone. After a few hours of walking and thumbing for a ride, a car finally pulls over and lets him in.
Upon entering the car the hitchhiker realizes the driver is deaf. This doesn't bother the man and the two gesture back and forth with one another. After a few minutes the driver decides to fully depress the gas pedal and speed. Because the car is a convertible, the hearing man loses his hat and both passengers' hair is blowing wildly in the breeze. The gauges on the dashboard are steadily rising and the hearing man is actually a bit frightened.
Suddenly, as if from nowhere, red and blue lights can be seen in the rear view mirrors and the car is pulled over. As they pull over, the deaf man puts one finger over his lip and looks at the hearing man, “Shhhh.” The police officer comes to the driver side of the car and asks for the driver's license, the deaf man gestures to the police officer that he can't hear or understand him. The hearing man follows suit. The police officer nods his head, looks around, then over enunciates the words, “S L O W D O W N !” The deaf man nods his head innocently in agreement.
As they're driving, the deaf man becomes tired and pats his hand over his mouth as he yawns and stretches his arms. He makes eye contact with the hearing man and gestures for them to switch places. The hearing man agrees and is soon driving the car down the isolated highway. After a few minutes, the deaf man is fast asleep in the passenger's seat and the hearing man is feeling adventurous. Assuming that the chances of them getting pulled over again are pretty slim, he presses the pedal to the metal and is zooming quickly toward the horizon.
As luck would have it though, he too is soon pulled over and a police officer steps up around the side of the convertible. The officer says, “I need your license and registration please…” The hearing man has a quick brainstorm and begins feigning deaf. He gestures to his ears then motions that he doesn't understand. The police officer smiles and signs, “OH YOU'RE DEAF? MY PARENTS ARE DEAF, WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL?” Gulp!
The 3 Hunters
Three hunters, Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, and a Deaf Cowboy, are gathered around a campfire. The 3 have been drinking and bragging about the virtues of their home states.
Suddenly, Clint Eastwood says, "Watch this." He opens a bottle of tequila, takes a swig, tosses it in the air, pulls out a pearl-handled revolver and shoots the bottle cleanly in two.
"It's a shame to waste that good liquor," John Wayne says.
"It's OK," Clint replies, "Where I come from, we've got plenty of that"
Not to be outdone, John Wayne pulls out a bottle of Jack Daniel's. He pulls off the cork, takes a drink, throws the bottle in the air, whips out an assault rifle and blasts the bottle, sending shards of glass everywhere.
"Shame to waste good whiskey," Clint says.
"It's OK," John says, "We've got plenty in my state."
At this point, the Deaf cowboy stands up. He pulls out a bottle of Henry's, twists off the cap and guzzels the entire beer. He throws the bottle high in the air, pulls out a shotgun, empties both barrels into John Wayne and neatly catches the bottle.
Clint stands in SHOCK. The Deaf cowboy calmly puts the shotgun down.
Clint stands in SHOCK. The Deaf cowboy calmly puts the shotgun down. "It's OK," he signed "We've got plenty of them in my state, besides this bottle is worth a NIC."
Why walking the talk is a matter of lifting the fingers in the face of silence. Carine Era Asutilla reports.
How do you proclaim the Christian tenets to the hearing-impaired?
“It is by walking the signs,” explains Clark Duterte Pelaez Jr., an ex-seminarian who proves he can still go the extra mile in faith by devoting himself to volunteer works. Now having his hands full as a Sign Language Interpreter on top of teaching Values Education, he is the Program Manager of Gualandi Volunteer Service Program.
It occurred to him that coming to terms and reaching out to deaf-mutes would be something worth his while, touched as he was when he saw the Philippine National Anthem performed in sign language.
“From that day on, I started going to the Gualandi Mission for the Deaf,” he recalls. “I'd bring a pen and paper, and I write down words and let my deaf friends read it… I take notes and for a short span of time until I was able to learn sign language, and started volunteering for the deaf.”
Every Sunday, he would visit the Gualandi Mission for the Deaf where he deems it inspiring to participate in their activities and to be always available for whatever task at hand.
Saying it's his way to serve the Lord, he explains: “I gain no popularity or anything with what I do, I believe it's a call to share a love-life relationship to the deaf, empowering them and educating them.” Yes, he would visit schools for the deaf and render services for free.
“It is good seeing them appreciate what you do. I've been doing this for six years already. This little work I do, I know, can realize their big dreams,” he affirms.
Gualandi Mission for the Deaf was founded in Italy way back in 1872 by Venerable Joseph Gualandi. It is a religious congregation of Priests, Sisters, Brothers, Deaf Sisters, and Deaf Brothers. The Mission first landed in the Philippines in Cebu and Manila in 1988. The congregation's members calling themselves Gualandians, they have been steadfast in their mission is to empower the deaf in the society and in the Church.
Gualandi Social Center for Deaf was then established to meet the socio-economic, educational, and psycho-spiritual needs of the deaf. Part of the center is the Gualandi Volunteer Service Program, aiming to train and form volunteers to boost human resources to serve the deaf community.
GVSP has been in Cebu for a year already. Clark and other nine volunteers come together to serve around 700 hearing-impaired individuals who visit the center every now and then. They represent the deaf in Cebu Council for the Welfare of Disabled People or CCWPD, in partnership with Cebu Association of the Deaf. Together, they discuss programs or projects in service to the deaf community.
GVSP also volunteers for the first High School for the Deaf in partnership with Pink Center . Gualandi volunteers would come to court to interpret cases of abused hearing-impaired persons.
Just recently, they have given services to media, in TV Patrol Central Visayas. “If you're deaf, what you see on TV, you don't understand… the deaf appreciates having an inset on news program like TV Patrol Central Visayas, because they want to be aware of what's happening.” Clark said.
It started February this year that TV Patrol Central Visayas has allotted 10% inset on screen for interpreters to construe the sign language the news stories for the benefit of the hearing-impaired.
“My office was flooded with people having hearing disabilities when they saw me in TV Patrol.” Clark tells. “They appreciated it a lot.”
GVSP is encouraging people to join and volunteer for the Deaf. “Volunteering is a rewarding act.” Clark says. “It's serving God, and his people.” His message, hands down, is loud and clear.
Signing 'increases deafness rates' Deafness adds twist to TV film
Sign language may be behind rising rates of inherited deafness, according to researchers.
The proportion of people who are born with profound hearing loss has doubled over the past 200 years.
Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States have traced the increase back to the introduction of sign language in the early 1800s.
They say the introduction of sign language allowed people who are deaf to communicate with each other more easily.
They say it also led to many more people with hearing loss marrying.
The researchers believe the decision of so many people with inherited hearing loss to marry has been behind the increase in deafness rates.
Gene mutations
More than 100 genes are involved in hearing loss. As a result, most people who are deaf have children with normal hearing because they pass on different genes.
However, a mutation in one gene, the connexin gene, is responsible for 50% of inherited deafness.
If both parents have this mutation, they will pass it on to their children, who will usually be born deaf.
The researchers used computer modelling to show what effect intermarriage between people with inherited deafness has over many generations.
They found that intermarriage between people who are deaf can lead to a significant increase in the number of people with inherited hearing loss.
This is largely because they have children with the condition who themselves go on to marry other people with this type of genetic deafness.
"In the United States , at least 85% of individuals with profound deafness marry another deaf person," said Professor Walter Nance, who led the study.
"In the case of marriages among couples who both have the same form of recessive deafness, all their children will be deaf and capable themselves of also passing on the altered gene to their offspring.
"In addition, as many as 3.5% of the hearing population in the United States may carry single mutations involving the connexin 26 complex, making this one of the most commonly recognized single gene defects."
Professor Nance said areas in the United States with a history of schools that teach through sign language have increased rates of genetic deafness.
"In regions where national or state-wide schools for the deaf have been established and marriages among students have occurred, we've seen an amplification of the commonest form of recessive deafness in the overall population."
Professor Nance believes the findings may explain how speech evolved in humans.
"When you think about how the onset of selective marriages among deaf populations led to an increase in specific mutations for deafness, you easily can see how these same forces might have contributed to the spread of genes for speech among Homo sapiens 160,000 years ago," he said.
"If you were one of the first primates with an ability to communicate by speaking, wouldn't you want to select a partner who could whisper sweet nothings in your ear?"
Brian Lamb, director of communications at the RNID, said: "This research provides an interesting insight into why a specific genetic form of deafness has become more common.
"It is not surprising that people with a shared culture of deafness marry. And if both people have the same specific genetic cause of deafness, this will be passed down the generations.
"RNID supports the rights of deaf people to marry one another. As well as looking at the genetic causes of deafness it is also important for society to develop ways to improve communication for deaf people so that they live active and fulfilled lives integrated in society."
The findings will be published in the American Journal of Human Genetics in June.
Deafness adds twist to TV film
By Geoff Adams-Spink
Age & disability correspondent, BBC News website
A new drama - directed by award-winning director Edmund Coulthard - featuring a deaf character in the lead role is about to be shown on BBC Two.
Soundproof stars Joseph Mawle as Dean and Susan Lynch as Penny.
It is a fast-moving, urban thriller in which Mawle's character is the prime suspect in a murder case involving his flatmate.
Lynch plays Penny - a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter - brought in by the police to question Dean who soon emerges as the prime suspect.
But the pair develop a close bond - based around their shared language - which leads Penny to abandon the neutral position of interpreter.
Both actors had to learn BSL in a matter of weeks before the shoot, but Mawle drew on his own experience of deafness to play the part.
Big changes
"I lost my hearing when I was 16 because of a virus," he told the BBC News website.
At the same time, Mawle's parents split up and he moved into a caravan by himself.
"A lot of changes were going on - 16 isn't the best time to have big changes happening. I think the hearing loss was partly psychological and partly physical.
"He partially recovered his hearing after two years but continues to wear hearing aids.
Mawle says that learning BSL for the part was "extraordinary".
"It's such a rich language and there's no way in five weeks that I could cram it all in," he said.
Sometimes he watched his instructor, Jean, for 12 hours at a time to get the sign language right for a single scene.
His character, Dean, is a foreigner in a world pitched against BSL users.
Some of the scenes are shot with a muffled soundtrack in order to give the viewer a taste of life from his perspective.
"Obviously he has a lot of barriers and he's a fighter," said Mawle.
"This is something he is constantly trying to repress in order to give himself a fresh start."
Hard cramming
Although not fluent, Mawle says that he has learnt enough BSL to be able to hold a basic conversation.
"I know a lot of BSL users and I have a lot of deaf friends now because of the research I did for the film."
Playing opposite him is Susan Lynch who is cast in the role of a hearing BSL interpreter, Penny.
She describes the learning process as "hard" - she had to cram it into three weeks and says she couldn't have done it without her teacher, John Wilson.
"He was really tough on me which helped a lot," she said.
"In order to communicate with John I had to use BSL constantly, because he's deaf."
She says that using BSL on screen involved a good deal of physical and facial expression.
"Sign doesn't make sense if you just do it with your hands - people need to understand what you're saying with your face as well."
Soundproof is the latest in a series of BBC Two dramas featuring lead characters with disabilities.
The award-winning Flesh and Blood starred Christopher Eccleston as a man who discovered that his birth parents both had learning disabilities.
And last year, Mat Fraser and Lisa Hammond took the lead roles in Every Time You Look at Me - the story of a disabled man trying to come to terms with his identity.
Soundproof is on BBC Two on 12 July at 2100 BST. It will also be transmitted in Sign Zone on 18 July from 0125 B
Registry of Interpreters for Deaf Empowerment (RIDE) Ministry with the Deaf • IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH Concepcion , Marikina City Services provided by RIDE
Social Activities
Officiating Priests : Fr. Raymond Decipeda, MMHC Fr. Augustine Aldana, MMHC Fr. Edmond Galicia , MMHC Moderator: Roberick S. Quing Sign Language Interpreters: Jun Celada (1 st Sunday) Rick Quing (2 nd Sunday) Mike Potian (3 rd Sunday) Cris Sabayan (4 th Sunday)
• IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY PARISH
Diocese of Antipolo, Antipolo City
Services provided by RIDE
Social Activities
Officiating Priests:
Moderator: Sister Angelina Enriquez Sign Language Interpreters: Emelie Gentalian & Angie Enriquez (1 st Sunday) Emelie Gentalian & Angie Enriquez (2 nd Sunday) Mike Potian (3 rd Sunday) Emelie Gentalian & Angie Enriquez (4 th Sunday)
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