Dr. Melissa Palmer's
long-standing relationship with Widex and passion for community
service drove her participation in the program, which donates Widex
hearing aids to those who otherwise couldn't afford them.
CLAYTON,
N.C., June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr.
Melissa Palmer, a practicing
audiologist for nearly 30 years and owner of Clayton Audiology in
Clayton, North Carolina, found at
a young age the passion that would take her through her
professional career.
"My goal is to improve the lives of every patient through better
hearing health and the best, most state-of-the-art hearing aid
technology," Dr. Palmer said. "This passion for working with people
with hearing loss dates back to when I was in high school having
taken a course on American Sign Language. Since then, it has been
my honor to give the gift of sound to so many people throughout my
career, as a private practice audiologist and now practice
owner."
At Clayton Audiology, Dr. Palmer and her team pride themselves
on cultivating the best possible patient experiences. "From the
first phone call, to their first time in our office, through the
life of their hearing care journey, we always want our patients to
feel comfortable and at home because patients are like family," she
added.
It was that mantra, combined with a lifelong interest in
community service, that led Dr. Palmer to participate in the
first-ever Widex Community Giveback Day on February 26th. Organized by hearing tech pioneer
Widex, the Community Giveback Day empowers hearing care
professionals (HCPs) to gift a free pair of Widex hearing aids to a
member of their local community who would otherwise not be able to
afford them.
The chosen recipient was 71-year-old Clayton resident Gerald Hardee, who was fit for a single Widex
hearing aid by Dr. Palmer in 2019. Despite needing two hearing
aids, one device was all Hardee could get covered through
government assistance, leaving him with years of suboptimal hearing
experiences. But today, Hardee says his life has changed for the
better.
"I was so excited to get these new hearing aids and they've been
such a huge improvement for me," he said. "Hearing in every aspect
of my life has been better than ever before. I can hear the TV
without turning up the volume, I can participate fully in
conversations, and I can even hear all the little sounds of the
outdoors when I go for a walk. This means such a great deal to me,
and I want to thank Dr. Melissa and Widex for what they've
done."
A Loyal Partnership
Dr. Palmer is no stranger to the Widex portfolio, having fit the
company's technology since the very beginning of her audiology
career. She was fitting Widex when the company introduced the
world's first 100% digital in-the-ear hearing aid in the mid 1990s
and has loved the technology ever since. In fact, Widex is the only
hearing aid manufacturer Dr. Palmer has fit continuously throughout
her career.
"There's such a range of styles and accessories in the Widex
portfolio that match every hearing need. Plus, the sound quality is
top-notch. The natural sound is something patients tell me all the
time they really appreciate," she emphasized. "Also, tinnitus
treatment is a focus of my practice, and I can offer really
innovative and effective treatments through the company's tinnitus
management technologies."
Spurred on by this decades-long relationship, Dr. Palmer jumped
at the opportunity to join the new Widex "Partners in Excellence
for You" program, which provides HCPs with access to a range of
tools and resources that improve their efficiency, increase the
impact they have in their communities, and accelerate growth for
their practices.
History of Service
One of those resources is a complimentary set of hearing aids
for participation in the Widex Community Giveback Day, but this was
far from Dr. Palmer's first foray into helping those in need.
"From 2012 through 2019, I was proud to be involved with mission
work in providing free hearing aid testing and fittings for a small
village in Nicaragua. That was
such fulfilling and enjoyable work, but unfortunately the COVID
pandemic put our trips on hold," Dr. Palmer recounted. "Since then,
I've been looking for ways to bring that mission closer to home
because we have several people in our community who could benefit
from hearing care but cannot necessarily afford it. The Widex
Community Giveback Day provided our practice with just what we
needed."
Once enrolled in the Giveback Day program, Dr. Palmer tasked her
staff with suggesting one patient they felt would be a fit. They
unanimously agreed that Hardee would benefit from the free pair of
Widex Momentâ„¢ hearing aids, upgrading from the single Widex Evoke
hearing aid he had worn for nearly five years.
"I've unfortunately seen so many patients with one hearing aid,
when they really could benefit from two," Dr. Palmer continued.
"Gerald was one such case and his hearing aids were also getting
older, so Widex provided us with a great chance to help him get
equipped with the latest in hearing technology and
performance."
The Element of Surprise
The next step was contacting Hardee and, instead of outright
telling him he'd been selected, Dr. Palmer and her team wanted to
make things a bit more special. So, they called Hardee and asked if
he would come in for what they were calling his annual hearing
exam. His hearing was re-examined, but it was anything but
routine.
"We surprised him with the new devices and let him know he was
selected to participate in the Widex Community Giveback Day
Program. Gerald is a man of few words, but he was very grateful. He
was immediately blown away by the differences he experienced with
two hearing aids versus one. It was truly a 'wow' moment."
Looking Forward to More
According to Dr. Palmer, Clayton Audiology will continue to
check-in with Hardee and provide follow-up appointments as their
service to a loyal member of their audiology family. Her team was
extremely pleased with the entire process and they encourage other
HCPs around the country to participate in the next Widex Community
Giveback Day.
"A significant part of our mission at Clayton Audiology is to
give back to our community," Dr. Palmer concluded. "The Widex
Community Giveback Day is a wonderful opportunity to make a
difference in the lives of people that need it most. Widex made it
so easy for us to participate. It's truly a no brainer for any HCP
looking to make a difference."
For more information on Widex, click here. For more information
on Clayton Audiology, click here. For images, click here.
About Widex
At Widex we believe in a world where there are no barriers to
communication; a world where people interact freely, effortlessly,
and confidently. With sixty years' experience developing
state-of-the-art technology, we provide hearing solutions that are
easy to use, seamlessly integrated in daily life and enable people
to hear naturally. As one of the world's leading hearing aid
producers, our products are sold in more than one hundred
countries, and we employ 4,000 people worldwide.
Media Contact
Media Contact:
Dan Griffin
Griffin360
379548@email4pr.com
212.481.3456
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SOURCE Widex