This past Friday, I received a text from Ken W. that stopped me in my tracks:
“Jaime, not sure if I've shared my love of amateur radio (sharing a photo of his tower and equipment). I am so excited at the possibility that I may enjoy doing what I love and talking to my listeners around the world again.”
Ken’s journey to this moment reminds me of the need for our outreach and Care Team support. Otherwise, six months later, Ken would still be living without hope.
A Chance Meeting That Changed Everything
I met Ken on a plane last year—during one of the most challenging seasons of my career. A staffing issue, the financial strain on nonprofits since the pandemic, forced me to make a tough decision: pack up and personally take over our Hearoes Tour, leaving Nashville and my daughter indefinitely. What felt like a hardship at the time turned out to be one of the most transformative experiences of my professional life.
For two months, I was back in the mission field, reconnecting with the heart of our work—meeting people where they are and breaking down barriers to hearing healthcare. My CEO duties were completed on nights and weekends. While our mobile hearing outreach program has been running since 2015, I’d spent the last few years behind the scenes in Nashville, stretched thin by funding constraints and unable to travel to events.
Then came that flight to Detroit, where I was en route to pick up our 32-foot mobile hearing clinic. I boarded the plane feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. But God had a plan.
A few seats away, I noticed a man struggling with his hearing aids. We struck up a conversation, and I learned that Ken had spent over $10,000 on hearing aids in the last five years—yet his hearing continued to worsen. His daughter, sitting in between us, shared how difficult communication had become and how isolating it was for him.
Ken had never even heard of a cochlear implant. That changed that day.
Opening the Door to Possibilities
I shared my daughter, Lexi’s, story—how her journey led to the creation of Songs for Sound, now named The LexCare Hearing Foundation, and the 33,000+ people we’ve helped. I walked Ken through his options, and that very night, he texted me his audiogram. For the first time in years, he felt hopeful.
But awareness alone isn’t enough. Since August 2024, our Care Team has been by Ken’s side—navigating the system, breaking through barriers, and guiding him toward this very moment: his cochlear implant evaluation.
Breaking Down Barriers for Thousands Like Ken
Ken’s story is just one of thousands. Too many people suffer in silence, held back by lack of access, misinformation, financial barriers, or a lack of guidance. The reality is heartbreaking—millions of people could regain their hearing, but they don’t know where to start.
At LexCare Hearing Foundation, we are committed to changing that. Our mission is simple: outreach into communities, engage, educate, encourage, empower, inspire and then remove the barriers so no one is left behind.
For Ken, that means getting back on the airwaves, doing what he loves. For others, it means reconnecting with their families, their jobs, and the world around them. For veterans and seniors it means feeling connected, having healthy cognition and feeling significant. For underserved children it means literacy, learning and inclusion.
We won’t stop until everyone has access to the hearing healthcare they deserve.
Will you be part of this movement?
👉 Join the #OneMillionEars Movement today.
Make a $10 pledge and help us change www.LexcareFoundation.org.
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