Mary Kay Uchmanowicz, Aud., CCC-A of Smithfield Rhode Island is among six outstanding hearing care professionals honored by the 2006 Oticon Focus on People Awards, a national competition that recognizes individuals who are helping to break down stereotypes of what it means to have a hearing loss. Dr. Mary Kay Uchmanowicz's selection as a winner in the Practitioner Category was announced in October at the ninth annual Oticon Focus on People Awards Ceremony in San Francisco. The Awards ceremony was attended by over 300 leading hearing care professionals from across the country.
A board certified audiologist with over 25 years of experience, Dr. Mary Kay (as she's affectionately known to her patients) has always gone above and beyond to educate and support patients and their families. She is tireless in her commitment to helping people with hearing loss to achieve their full potential - speaking at public forums, conducting monthly hearing support groups at her office and providing one-on-one counseling. Earlier this year, Dr. Mary Kay collected discarded hearing aids for a missionary trip to the Philippines. She spent over three weeks there giving under-privileged children and adults hearing evaluations and fitting the donated hearing aids. Dr. Mary Kay is planning a second trip to the Philippines next year to continue her humanitarian efforts.
The Oticon Focus on People Awards were created in 1996 by Oticon, Inc., one of the world's oldest and most respected hearing instruments manufacturers. By celebrating the contributions of dedicated professionals who are helping to show that hearing loss does not limit a person's ability to participate full in life, Oticon, Inc., hopes to motivate people with hearing loss to take advantage of the help that is available to them. The company's goal is to reach out to the 80 percent of estimated 28 million Americans who could benefit from hearing instruments, but who fail to seek professional help.
"Given that hearing loss is the number-one disability in America, these findings are significant." says Peer Lauritsen, president of Oticon, Inc., "It's interesting to note that Americans now openly discuss and seek help for once ' unmentionable' diseases and disabilities, but not hearing loss. The challenge continues to be changing outdated and hurtful misconceptions of what it means to have a hearing loss."
If you would like to donate a hearing aid to Dr. Mary Kay's cause or want more information about hearing help, email us at info@twinrivershearing.com or call (401) 349-0456.
151 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917
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