Kiwanis Buys Equipment To Test Babies’ Hearing

Babies born at Kootenai Medical Center will be thoroughly tested for hearing problems starting next month, thanks to a community fund-raising effort.

Chuck Whiteley, a Kiwanis Club member, got “all riled up” over the idea that some children’s problems go undiagnosed, often leading to learning disabilities.

Local Kiwanis chapters led the charge to raise $25,000 and are only about $4,000 from that goal. The money the service organization has raised, along with a supplemental loan from the KMC Foundation, has allowed the hospital to buy the equipment already.

Staff members will be trained in its use next week, Whiteley said.

He said he believes KMC will be the first hospital in the country not only to screen newborns for hearing problems but also to follow up with diagnostic tests for the seven out of 1,000 babies who don’t hear correctly.

A Christmas musical gala and a silent auction raised $1,000 each. Many business and individual donations were made.

The big boost in the campaign, which began last August, came with a $10,000 donation from the KMC Auxiliary.

“We were looking at raising $25,000, and it looked like Mount Everest,” Whiteley said. “We can’t thank them enough.”

The auxiliary donation represents proceeds from the hospital gift shop. Some of that money is spent every year on a hospital-related cause, said KMC executive Jim Faucher.

Several board members have families affected by hearing loss, Faucher said, and that added special meaning to the contribution.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TO DONATE Local Kiwanis chapters still are raising money to pay off the KMC Foundation loan. Donations may be sent to: Kiwanis, P.O. Box 819, Coeur d’Alene 83816.