When most folks think info hearing impairment, they think a hearing aid will solve the problem in a snap. Well, that theory was dismissed Tuesday, May 6, at the Dallas Country Club for the 3rd Annual Callier Cares Luncheon honoring Sara Martineau with the Ruth and Ken Altshuler Callier Cares Award.
Looking around the room of fresh young faces and more experienced ones, there was no sign of whom where the beneficiaries and who were the benefactors of the event. First of all, speech and hearing challenges are rarely apparent from a check around a room. It is not apparent to anyone until communication is attempted.
Second, all audio and verbal issues are not limited to loss. Luncheon speaker Director of Music at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church Terry Price told of his own battle with Tinnitus, a sound that lives within a person’s head. No one else can hear it and each case is unique, but it can range from a 24-hour bothersome tone to a life-long torment. Thanks to Callier, Terry has been received “innovative care that save his musical life.”
On the other hand, speech can be dramatically affected by stroke or limited use of the tongue.
But thanks to developments resulting from the Callier Center, relief and improvements in both areas have resulted. Not total resolution. Those are still ahead. But the improvement in the lives of patients and the “hope” of recovery are on the table at Callier.
In the crowd of supporters filling the ballroom to the max were Kersten Rettig, Sarah Losinger, Diane and Stuart Bumpas, Margaret Stafford and Janet and Troy Dungan with old buddies Jill and Tracy Rowlett.
Sara, who has been an ardent supporter of the Center, since the year she chaired the Crystal Charity Ball, when one of its beneficiaries was Callier.
Perhaps that’s why so many of the CCB crew (Michal Powell, Robyn Conlon, Patty Leyendecker, Christie Carter, Louise Griffeth, Debbie Oates and Barbara Stuart) were on hand in addition to Sara’s fan club members like husband David, Linda and Bill Custard, Joyce and Linus Wright and Patricia Meadows.
But before Sara accepted the award, Co-Chairs/sisters Betsy Cullum and Sissy Cullum had her longtime friend Ruth Altshuler introduced her.
Ruth admitted that her own grandchildren had held “an intervention” because no matter what they said their grandmother would say, “What?” She then reported that in her own household, she and husband Ken constantly exchange, “What?”’s. As Ken choked hearing Ruth tell the group of their personal experience, Ruth admitted that Ken had already gotten a hearing aid and she had ordered one.
Finishing up her introduction, Ruth told how David Martineau had given Ruth a letter than she had written to Sara decades ago telling her what an outstanding member of the community Sara was.
That was a hard act to follow, but Sara rose to the occasion with eloquence and commitment.