Parents who are concerned about their child’s hearing will have a chance this Saturday to get their child examined, without having to go to Kelowna.
Greta Henning, who in the past has arranged free dental and chiropractic clinics to help the needy in South Okanagan communities, said her group is hosting a hearing clinic on March 16 with Kelowna audiologist Stephanie Sykes.
Lack of access, according to Henning, is not limited to dental care. She hopes, through her clinics, to make it easier for people to access other services.
“I work in public health, so I do know that things are difficult to get to when a person from Osoyoos has to go all the way to Kelowna for a screening. There are other services that we could use,” said Henning. “The clinic of kindness is a great avenue to have professionals volunteer. I try to make it as easy as I can for them to do that in that I do all the ground work of advertising an getting the right people to know the services that are being offered.”
The hearing clinic is in conjunction with the Henning Emergency Clinic of Care (HECC) and Cheers Church (639 Main St.), who are hosting the clinic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Henning, a public health worker, said she does infant screening at Penticton Regional Hospital.
“All babies born at PRH are offered a screening at the time of their birth,” said Henning. “Kindergarten students are screened through the school board and beyond that, any referrals go to Kelowna. People can access the private hearing clinics, but of course there is a fee for that.”
The hearing clinic is being conducted on a drop-in basis and is open to school-age children from four to 18 years old.
Sykes is offering to hold clinics twice a year, in the spring for children and in the fall for adults. Any referrals after the screening, said Henning, will be sent to the Kelowna audiology clinic.
Henning said that lack of access is not limited to dental care. She hopes, through her clinics, to make it easier for people to access other services.”
“I work in public health, so I do know that things are difficult to get to when a person from Osoyoos has to go all the way to Kelowna for a screening. There are other services that we could use,” said Henning. “The clinic of kindness is a great avenue to have professionals volunteer. I try to make it as easy as I can for them to do that in that I do all the ground work of advertising and getting the right people to know the services that are being offered. “
