Anaheim colleagues pool resources to help two sisters to better hearing

Mariana and Andrea with their parents during one of their discussions with District 4180 Past Governor Jorge Martinez as they searched for solutions to hearing loss facing the sisters.

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A caring family, a Rotary friendship, and a responsible corporate organisation have combined resources to preserve the hearing of two young Mexican children. District 4180 Past Governor Jorge Martinez and wife Bev, of Mexico, and District 9800 Past Governor Gordon McKern and wife Anita, of the Rotary Club of Eaglehawk, Vic., met and became firm friends during their service as training leaders at the International Assembly in Anaheim, California, U.S.A., in 2002 and 2003.

Such is the caring nature of Jorge and Bev that they spend time and money
conducting clinics to assist young Mexican women with cervical cancer, which is prevalent among the poor of their community.

In a special address to spouses at the 2003 Assembly, Bev Martinez provided a wonderful example of what Rotarians and spouses can achieve by working together.
She told of two sisters in Mexico, Mariana, 9, and Andrea,12, who have a rare congenital disease, Usher’s syndrome, and are losing their sight and hearing.
Hearing loss can be slowed through a Cochlear implant, but it is an expensive operation. The girls’ parents consulted many specialists and looked at alternatives but could find no way around the expense. Even selling the family home would only raise enough money to finance just one operation.

When all seemed hopeless, a Rotarian spouse (the mother’s gynaecologist) contacted Jorge and Bev Martinez and the Rotary “network” sprung into action.
PDG Gordon knew Cochlear to be an Australian company and commenced negotiations on behalf of the family immediately.

Late in 2003, his efforts to broker a partnership between Rotary and Cochlear to benefit the Martinez children proved successful.

State-of-the-art equipment was delivered to Mexico in March and two young Mexicans soon will be enjoying the benefits of enhanced hearing.