Ronan woman gets back 'gift of sound' with donated hearing aids

All Cindy Lewis wanted for her 60th birthday was to be able to hear again.

When the Ronan resident lost her hearing aids three years ago, she knew there was no way she could afford to replace them. But she never gave up hope.

Now, with the help of the Miracle-Ear Foundation's Gift of Sound hearing aid program, Lewis' dream has come true.

"Without the Miracle-Ear program, there is no way I would have been able to afford hearing aids. Medicare does not make hearing aids affordable, so I am incredibly grateful for the Miracle-Ear program," Lewis said. "It is incredible to be able to hear again."

Lewis learned from an early age not to take any of her senses for granted. Born with cataracts in both eyes, she has undergone seven eye surgeries since her 13th birthday, overcoming her vision problems to earn a master's degree in counseling, specializing in marriage and family therapy, despite her high school guidance counselor telling her she was not "college material."

"I couldn't read, and I had the worst time in school," Lewis said. "But after the first eye surgery, I went from being unable to read to checking out 15 to 20 books at a time from the library."

When she lost her hearing aids, she felt the same despair she had experienced with her vision problems as a child.

LEWIS SAID the scope of the problem became apparent during her first meeting as president of her residential community's board.

"I was running my first meeting when I realized that I couldn't hear anybody. I couldn't hear what they were saying. I couldn't hear the questions or the comments. It felt very debilitating," she recalled.

"With my background in counseling, I have always felt that it is important to hear the story of each person, because everyone has a story," she said. "If you can't hear what a person needs, how are you supposed to help them?"

Lewis said life has been particularly tough during the COVID-19 pandemic, which she called a "nightmare from hell," as masks have left her unable to read lips, the one way she has been able to keep up with what people are saying.

When Lewis applied for the Gift of Sound program, she hoped to be able to hear again by her 60th birthday. While that did not happen, it was on her birthday this year that she learned she had been accepted by the program and would be receiving a new hearing aid in early August.

ON THE morning of Aug. 3 at the Miracle-Ear store in Kalispell, Lewis got her wish.

With her hearing restored, she can again enjoy music and the sound of her two dogs, Princess and Chewy, running across the laminate floor of her house. Lewis, who plays flute, clarinet, piano and cello, was especially excited to enjoy music again.

"Being able to distinguish the sounds of the notes in music again is incredible. It is just such a blessing," she said. "Why do people wait to get hearing aids? What's the big deal? If you need glasses, don't you go and get them? I just don't get it. There's no need to miss out on things because you don't want to get hearing aids."

Lewis plans to provide free music lessons to the children in her community, as well as continue to lead her residential community's board.

"There is so much that we take for granted. Sight and hearing, they are such amazing gifts and we just take them for granted. Whether it is being able to hear a 90-year-old tell you their life story or listening to a baby crying, being able to hear again is amazing," Lewis said. "Help is out there. You just have to know where to look."

Reporter Jeremy Weber may be reached at 406-758-4446 or jweber@dailyinterlake.com.