SANFORD, Fla. — A 16-year-old Sanford girl received the gift of hearing for Christmas Friday.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
As a child, Amanda Hise lost her hearing to the side effects of a powerful antibiotic.
READ: Florida adding preventative monoclonal antibody therapy options across the state
Her mother, Laurelanne, entered Precision Hearing’s 5th Annual “Gift of Hearing” essay contest on Amanda’s behalf.
“I have not had health insurance in a while and could not afford the cost of hearing aids for my daughter,” Hise wrote in her essay.
READ: Ex-hostages doing well, have left Haiti, mission agency says
She went on to explain that Amanda’s last pair of hearing aids were donated to her by an older man, but didn’t fit her properly.
“It’s been so hard because she doesn’t even realize all that she’s been missing these years,” Hise wrote.
READ: Coronavirus: CDC endorses ‘test-to-stay’ policies in schools
Hise’s essay won the contest, and on Friday, Amanda was fitted with new, state-of-the-art hearing aids by Precision Hearing’s Dr. Kristen Weinbaum, who also suffers from hearing loss.
“Over the last four years, this feel-good giving back project of mine has been a roaring success,” Dr. Weinbaum said. “We’ve had people from numerous walks of life tell us why they are in desperate need of hearings aids. It warms my heart that I’ve been able to make a difference in so many people’s lives.”
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.