Cara Loverock
Northern News Services
Published Friday, January 18, 2008

YELLOWKNIFE - Hearing programs for children at Stanton Territorial Hospital have received a healthy donation from NWT organizations.

The National Elks and the Royal Purple Fund for Children handed over a cheque Monday evening for $18,500 to run the Infant Hearing Program at the hospital.

The money was raised by the Elks lodges in Yellowknife, Cambridge Bay and Hay River, as well as by the Ladies of the Royal Purple in Yellowknife.

The money was raised through activities such as bingo and raffles.

Robert Collinson, president of the Territorial Elks Association, said supporting hard-of-hearing initiatives has been a long-time focus of the organization on a national level, particularly the early detection of hearing loss.

"It was a focus of the Elks for years. When (Stanton Territorial Hospital) decided they would have an audiology department, we got involved," said Collinson.

The Elks Association of the NWT has provided donations to Stanton for years, specifically to the audiology department.

"This is a further indication of their support to us and will allow us to provide better services in the area of audiology," said Sylvia Haener, chief executive officer of Stanton Territorial Health Authority. "We're very appreciative."

The Infant Hearing Program started in 2004 and, as part of the hospital's audiology department, tests newborns for possible hearing impairment.

The department also provides detection, prevention and rehabilitation of hearing loss.

The money donated is planned to go towards the purchase of an aurical system, a portable hearing test system. This system will help the hospital to assess the hearing of children in communities during travel clinics.