Northeast VOSH (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity) is an organization of optometrists, medical doctors, nurses, physical therapists, dentists, opticians and other dedicated individuals who are committed to providing vision care to people around the world who cannot afford or obtain it.

For many years, a group of volunteers from Beltone New England, which is based in Warwick, have joined this mission to provide hearing help.

This year, the mission returned to Lidice, Panama between Jan. 13-21, 2018. Beltone New England Regional Director Rocco Andreozzi IV, of Portland, Maine, assisted the group of many volunteers and interpreters to help deliver the gift of hearing. This was the fourth mission that Andreozzi has attended, the first being to El Salvador in 2013, the second to Panama City in 2016 and the third to Lidice, Panama in 2017. Andreozzi has been with Beltone since 2009 having worked as a Hearing Instrument Specialist in Bangor, Brunswick and Lewiston, Maine.

Beltone New England and Beltone Carolina/Virginia supplied the team attending the mission with state-of-the-art testing and fitting stations, as well as video otoscopes that allowed them to help more patients than ever before.

The Beltone Hearing Care Foundation also supported this year’s mission by donating 200 hearing aids, along with the parts and supplies to ensure patients can care and maintain the hearing solutions for years to come. Also included was a one-year supply of batteries for every patient fit, as acquiring these can be very tough in rural communities.

In addition, Warner Tech Care supplied the ear mold lab with the silicon impression material, drill bits, and various supplies enabling them to build custom molds for the more severe to profound fittings that were needed.

This year, the team even made swim molds for those with perforations, and want to enjoy swimming in the river again without causing additional damage.

Andreozzi stated, “This incredible Mission would not have been possible without the support of our amazing partners that make this wonderful effort possible. Big thank you to the Beltone Foundation, Beltone New England/Carolina Virginia, Warner Tech Care, and all of our wonderful patients who donated their hearing aids for this great cause. As a result, we helped over 256 patients, with everything from wax occlusion, to hearing their family for the very first time. In the end over 238 hearing aids were fit over the week, and the end result is bringing the wonderful sound of life back to these amazing and thankful people.”

“This year’s mission was incredibly special, as we had our first sponsored University of Rhode Island Speech and Communication senior, Patricia Graziose. In line with VOSH’s core mission, incorporating students into the profession to work side by side mentors, and experience this great feeling of giving back to those that need our services so badly. This is a critical part of the work we do, and thanks to the Ken Startz memorial fund, we are continuing what the founder of the Audiology department, Ken Startz was so passionate about.”

Others who attended this year’s mission included many from the Audiology department, made up of a very diverse and skilled group that worked as a well-oiled team to provide the very best. There were two returning members, Hearing Professional Gabrielle Indeglia and Board Certified – Hearing Instrument Specialist Michaela Allen from Beltone New England. They were joined by new Hearing Instrument Specialists Alyssa Allen, and Sara Cable, Hearing Instrument Specialist from Beltone Carolina/Virginia. Leading the ear mold lab was resident architect and NEVOSH board member, Ali Hocek. Lastly for wax irrigation, was RN Joy Fisher.

Andreozzi says that planning is already underway for the 2019 mission.