Osmond gives inspiration to those suffering from hearing loss
WILKES-BARRE — Less than a week after Davy
Jones came to Wilkes-Barre, a second celebrity
visited with a positive message, this time for
educators, therapists and those who live with
hearing loss.
Justin Osmond, son of Merrill and Mary
Osmond of the Osmond Family, came Monday to
Genetti’s Hotel & Conference Center to speak
about his hearing loss as the keynote speaker
of a conference hosted by Luzerne Intermediate
Unit 18.
The conference, titled “Hear Now & Forever,”
featured an exhibit hall with 40 vendors and
presenters, and was attended by about 300
people who work with those affected by hearing
loss — educators, parents, therapists,
emergency responders, community members and
nurses.
Osmond suffered hearing loss because he was
born with a hereditary problem, but he wasn’t
diagnosed until he was almost 2 years old. He
is the spokesman for the Starkey Hearing
Foundation, a group that promotes hearing
health awareness and donates hearing aids to
underprivileged children.
Since 2000, the Starkey Hearing Foundation
distributed 255,000 hearing aids worldwide,
averaging about 30,000 hearing aids a year.
Osmond discussed how his hearing loss affected
his life, and stressed his positive attitude
helped him overcome his hearing problems.
“I believe we all have something we wish we
did not have,” Osmond told the audience,
noting how his hearing loss was emphasized
growing up in a famous musical family. “In my
mind’s eye, I was thinking I have every right
to be bitter.”
Seven members of Osmond’s family are affected
by hearing loss, and Osmond related how the
group started singing to raise money to buy
new sets of hearing aids for two of his
uncles. This led to the creation of the
Children’s Miracle Network.
As a child, Osmond had difficulty in school,
and he used to get up every morning at 5:30 to
practice his speech and reading. He used to
sit in the front of the classroom, paying full
attention so he could perform as well as he
wanted in his classes. This eagerness in the
classroom, along with his oversized hearing
aids, caused the other children to ridicule
him.
“I used to flush (the hearing aids) down the
toilet,” Osmond said. “I had a hard time with
them growing up. I had that stigma.”
Throughout his life, Osmond overcame many
challenges, such as learning how to speak and
succeed in school, but he says his greatest
accomplishment was learning to play the
violin. Osmond was able to do this because of
his mother’s tireless dedication to teaching
him. While playing violin, Osmond has trouble
keeping the beat because his intonation is
bad. Osmond watches the other
instrumentalists’ bows, and when the bows go
up and down, this lets him know the song’s
tempo.
“I may have a hearing loss, but the hearing
loss does not have me,” Osmond said,
encouraging the audience. “Accept it, but
don’t let it control you. Don’t let it get in
the way of your dreams and aspirations.”
Sue Zerfoss, the program coordinator at the
LIU, said the topics covered at the conference
were teaching language and speech to children
with hearing loss, learning how to protect
hearing, and teaching emergency responders how
to deal with people who suffered hearing loss.
Barbara Beard, a member of the state advisory
council of the Hearing Loss Association, said
that events like the conference help inform
the public about her organization and new
advances in hearing loss technology. The
Hearing Loss Association is a national support
and advocacy group that hosts monthly meetings
for those affected by hearing loss. Beard, 71,
of Hershey is affected by hearing loss and,
for the last 14 years, has worn a cochlear
implant. Beard communicates by reading lips
and using the implant, which she calls a
miracle.
“What we are trying to do is get the word out,
to let people know what we can do to help
people with hearing loss,” Beard said.
Also at the event, Ashley Zerfoss, a
16-year-old junior at Dallas High School,
presented an $800 check to Osmond and the
Starkey Foundation. As part of a project at
school, she wrote a children’s book, and gave
the proceeds from the book sales to the
charity organization.
Osmond graciously accepted the check, and
called Zerfoss a hero for her efforts.
csheaffer@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2083
