Personal Experience Sparks Teen’s Passion for Giving

It was last year, when Andy and Mariel Katz first inquired about youth volunteer opportunities at House Research Institute for their teenage daughter, Camila, we knew right away that Cami had a special passion for the issue of hearing loss and the Institute’s mission.  Growing up with a hearing loss in one ear, she understands how important hearing is to people’s quality of life and the value of protecting her hearing in her good ear.  Now that she was a teen, Cami wanted to help us reach out to people her age about protecting their hearing health by volunteering her time to help with the institute’s teen prevention program.  Then she took her passion a step further by personally raising $1,000 to support the institute’s non-profit work.  

 

Her father Andy said that when Cami was 3 years old they realized she had problems hearing.  “I handed her the phone to speak to her cousin,” he said.  “When she lifted the phone, she said there was no one on the line.  She gave me back the phone, and sure enough, there was a voice on the other end.  I put the phone on Cami’s other ear and she heard the voice fine.  I started testing her ears by whispering on each side.  From there, we went to the audiologist to get her tested.  He confirmed that she had unilateral hearing.  Our pediatrician referred us to the House Ear Institute as the best place in the country that specializes in hearing disorders.”

 

In talking about her experience, Cami won’t let her hearing loss get in the way of her goals.  “I don’t think about the fact that I don’t hear from one ear,” she said.  “My perspective is that I am blessed that I can at least hear from the other ear.  I try not to let my unilateral hearing stop me.  I love music and play the violin in the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra and the Harvard-Westlake Middle School Symphony.  I was a gymnast and now a competitive springboard diver and though it was hard to keep my balance at first, because of my hearing, I kept practicing.  This doesn’t come easy with unilateral hearing but I refuse to let this stop me from pursuing my passions.  I treasure my good ear and protect it from loud noises the best I can.”

 

For her Bat Mitzvah last year, Cami felt she wanted to support a cause that held personal meaning to her.  “I am interested in science and how it can be used to change and improve our lives,” she said.  “Since I have been impacted by hearing loss, I felt a connection with the House Research Institute.”

 

“An important component of a Bat Mitzvah involves community service and the notion of ‘Tikun Olam’ or repairing the world,” said her father.  “She chose the House Research Institute because not only do they help people with hearing disabilities, but they also help bring awareness to prevent others from developing hearing loss.”

 

In addition to volunteering her time helping the institute distribute information and hearing protection to young people at local outreach events this year, Cami went on to raise $1,000 in contributions for the institute’s programs.

 

“As part of my Bat Mitzvah, I spoke about how I volunteered through the House Research Institute to help educate the public about being careful of the level of sound you expose your ears to,” she said.  “I talked about the HRI and how they provide services to help people that have hearing disorders like me.  I told my guests about noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and the importance of protecting our ears.  I explained how NIHL is common in teenagers because of their exposure to loud music from electronic devices like iPhones, iPods, and concerts.  I handed brochures and colorful ear buds to raise awareness.  My friends supported me generously because they knew it was an important cause since it touched me closely.”

 

Cami said the most rewarding experience of raising money and awareness was reading the institute’s House Calls Magazines and learning how through research studies, scientists were providing services to improve people’s hearing.

 

“I pride myself of knowing that I am part of this incredible organization that changes people’s lives,” she said.  “It is so rewarding for me to know that by donating to the institute, I can help give people the gift of hearing so they can enjoy music, conversations and they can be integrated into our community.  The challenge was managing my time so I could juggle my Bat Mitzvah studies, my schoolwork, my extracurricular activities, and my volunteer work for the institute.”

 

Andy Katz recommends that the best ways to teach children to give back to their community are to lead by example and get them involved.  “We have always stressed to our children the importance of being compassionate and caring citizens.  As a family, we have prepared meals to those less fortunate through school and synagogue programs, we have donated toys to homeless shelters, and we have visited the elderly.  We want our children to understand that doing mitzvahs, good deeds, is our responsibility.”