Conferences EURO-CIU & IPAC 2025

by

From April 4 to 6, two significant events took place in Istanbul, Türkiye: the International Pediatric Audiology Congress titled “Bridging Gaps in Pediatric Audiology”, and the 15th EURO-CIU International Symposium under the theme “Past, Present, and Future: The Journey of Hearing with Cochlear Implants.”

The conferences featured inspiring talks on topics such as medicine, audiology, and rehabilitation — even familiar subjects like architecture were explored from a fresh perspective in an inclusive setting. The Lehnhardt Foundation was proud to present its GIZ project — a professional training course for therapists working with children with cochlear implants.

A special highlight was the opportunity to exchange insights with EURO-CIU members, CIICA Coordinator Sue Archbold (UK), therapist and AB representative Nicole da Rocha (UK), and AVT therapist Eulalia Pastor (Spain).

On April 4, the EURO-CIU Annual General Assembly was also held, during which the new President and First Vice President were elected. Tobias Fischer from Austria was elected President, and Aylin Özgür from Türkiye was elected First Vice President.

We extend our sincere thanks to the organizers for creating a space for dialogue, collaboration, and growth!

Liubov Wolowik, Marina Gureva (members of the Lehnhardt Foundation)

Round Table “Inclusion for Children with Hearing Impairments” in Bishkek

by

EURO-CIU NEWSLETTER – MARCH 2025

In April 2024 the Lehnhardt Foundation, with support from German International Cooperation Society (GIZ), launched the project “Development of a sustainable support program for hard of hearing and deaf children in Kyrgyzstan.”  This initiative aims to enhance the qualification of therapists in both urban and regional areas of the country.  Following numerous practical training sessions and online meetings, a Round Table entitled “Inclusion for Children with Hearing Impairments” was organized on 19 February 2025 at the National Centre for Maternity and Childhood Care (NCMCC) in Bishkek.

The Round Table brought together representatives from the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Development, as well as local educational and healthcare organizations, NCMCC staff, delegates from the German Embassy and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), parent associations, public foundations and business partners of cochlear implant manufacturers.  The timing of the event coincided with two significant dates: International Cochlear Implant Day on 25 February and World Hearing Day, celebrated under the World Health Organization’s slogan “Overcoming Stereotypes: Making Ear and Hearing Care a Reality for All!”

The primary goal of the Round Table was to discuss the progress made already, and to address pressing issues related to the inclusion of children with hearing impairments.  Special attention was given to early detection of hearing impairments, diagnostic methods, cochlear implantation and the rehabilitation of affected children.

Key speakers included ENT doctors from NCMCC, the director of the rehabilitation centre and family support, the director of the International Association of Hearing Rehabilitation Specialists, the head and one therapist from the parents’ organization Slyshim Vmeste, the head of NGOs Uplift and Balanur, the head of the Department of Special Pedagogy at the Pedagogical University and a member of the Board of the Lehnhardt Foundation.

The event featured engaging discussions, culminating in the signing of a resolution that was forwarded to the Cabinet of Ministers.  The director of NCMCC and the project partners expressed strong support for this initiative, hoping for rapid advancements in the field.

The next phase of the project involves training of 15 therapists under a “train the trainer” concept.  These educators will consult and oversee 30 classes in mainstream schools and kindergartens, accommodating children with hearing impairments who are either currently enrolled or set to begin their studies in September 2025.

This initiative underscores the Lehnhardt Foundation’s commitment to fostering inclusive education and to support children with hearing impairments in Kyrgyzstan.

Dr. Monika Lehnhardt-Goriany & Liubov Wolowik

Supporting Children with Hearing loss in Romania. Evelina’s case

by

Evelina, a beautiful girl aged 3 and a half, deaf, she became a bilateral CI user in January . Until now she was been wearing cochlear implant on her right ear and she has been attending therapy sessions together with her mother and grandmother at Koala NGO, based in Bucharest. Her parents are both deaf and communicate through sign language, but they wanted their child has access to sound and learn how to speak. Recently, her sister was born and their family routines are changing. One day, she was left unattended for a few moments and she threw her new processor in the toilet and flushed the water. The processor was gone and the family couldn’t afford a new one. Both of Evelina’s parents are deaf, the family income is provided only by the father and the family is struggling financially, with low-income. The family lives together with the maternal grandparents who have normal hearing.

Alice Popa, founder and therapist at Koala NGO, reached out to Lehnhardt Stiftung with the hope they might assist in securing second-hand processor for Evelina. Monika Lehnhardt and Liubov Wolowik were very receptive to our request and shortly after getting in contact, they sent a new processor for Evelina, who is now able to hear again with both her ears. It was very important for Evelina to regain access to sound again because she is very recently implanted on her second ear and the period after implant activation is crucial in order to ensure auditive-verbal rehabilitation through adequate auditive stimulation.

Read more

Families from Ukraine Living in Germany

by

We are deeply grateful to the Lehnhardt Foundation for being part of our journey! I would like to thank you for facilitating communication between Professor Just and us. We are truly thankful to the doctors and to Professor Just, and I keep believing in the best every day! Gordey understands everything and is very patient. Children can sense more than anyone else when people around them genuinely want to help.
We feel comfortable at KMG Güstrow. We will keep you updated on our story. We are very thankful to you!

With warm regards,
Dina, mother of Gordey, who has left-sided deafness

Dear members of the Lehnhardt Foundation,

I want to say a huge THANK YOU for your help and support! You always show up at just the right time – no need for long explanations, you simply understand and gently solve any issue. My child is always excited to attend speech therapy sessions — and that’s priceless. For families like ours, who fled the war and found themselves in a foreign country with a child with special needs, without knowing the language or the system… your presence means more than words can say.

Kind regards,
Mother of a child with HA and CI

Help Saim Jan Hear: A Christmas Miracle in the Making

by
Imagine a world without sound. This is the reality for two-year-old Saim Jan, a bright and curious little boy from Pakistan who was born completely deaf in both ears. For Saim Jan, a cochlear implant (CI) represents his only chance to hear the world around him and develop spoken language.
Unfortunately, the cost of this life-changing surgery in Pakistan is $13,000, a sum far beyond the reach of Saim Jan’s family. Neither the state nor insurance covers these expenses, leaving his parents with the overwhelming task of raising the funds themselves.
The urgency is clear: for the cochlear implant to be most effective, time is of the essence. The family has courageously decided to share their story, hoping to raise awareness and gather support. With your help, we can make a difference and perhaps even create a Christmas miracle for Saim Jan.
How You Can Help

Read more

Support for Children with Hearing Impairments in Kenya

by

In Kenya, access to resources for children with hearing impairments is limited, and many face challenges with outdated equipment and insufficient educational support. Regular classrooms are often noisy, and there is a significant need for FM systems, therapy, and other accommodations. Our Newborn Hearing Screening Project serves a rural community with a population of over 10 million people, and we currently screen about 1,000 children per week. However, more than 200 children and adults in the region still need hearing assistive devices. Most rely on donations, as their families cannot afford to purchase hearing aids.

My son received a cochlear implant (CI) in 2015 at the age of 3. He is now in Grade 5 at a mainstream school, where his speech and language development is excellent. However, his current processor is outdated, and the model (Nucleus 6) has been phased out, making it difficult to find necessary accessories.

The Lehnhardt Foundation has been instrumental in supporting our efforts with donations of hearing aids, FM systems, and speech processors. This collaboration was formed after the CIICA conference.

The demand continues to exceed available resources. Programs like ours are vital in providing early intervention, and sustained support is essential to help children with hearing loss succeed in school and life. We are deeply grateful for any support to continue providing these life-changing resources to children in need.

Sincerely,
Stephen Kittur, Speech Language Pathologist
Director of Children’s Speech and Hearing Loss Organisation, Kenya

Wir schenken den ukrainischen Kindern Gehör!

by

Thanks to the Lehnhardt Foundation and generous donors, seven children from the Volyn region were able to get their “magic ears” tuned. Each child also received a small gift with school supplies. We are sincerely thankful to everyone who contributed!

Iryna Perets
Parent Organization “Snail in the Hand”, Lutsk

I want to say a big thank you for the batteries and other accessories for my cochlear implant.
— Maksym
I received the package. Thank you so much to you and your entire team for the help.
Your work is priceless ❤️
— Iryna, CI user
Thanks to this alarm clock, I can wake up without anyone’s help. It helps me get up for school on time. Thank you so much for this opportunity!
— Nastya, hearing aids user

Profile: Tobias Fischer

by

Tobias Fischer, MSc was the first child in Germany to receive a multichannel cochlear implant. The surgery was performed by Prof. Ernst Lehnhardt in 1988.

Tobias was born in 1984 in Wetzlar, Germany. At the age of three, he lost his hearing after contracting bacterial meningitis.
With the support of his parents, Dr Bodo Bertram and the early intervention center in Friedberg, he learned to hear and speak again.
With his cochlear implant, he was able to attend a regular school.
He then completed an apprenticeship as a communications electronics technician and studied at the University of Applied Sciences Gießen Friedberg.
He graduated with a B.Eng. in Microsystems Technology and Electronics.
In 2007, he received his second Cochlear Implant in Frankfurt a.M..
During his studies, he met his future wife and moved to Vienna in 2009 to live with her.
From 2011-2013 Tobias completed a part-time Master’s degree in Innovation and Technology Management with the title MSc.
Since 2009 he has been working for an aerospace company as a systems engineer.

In his spare time, he provides support to other CI users and hearing impaired people.

  • President of the ÖCIG (Austrian Cochlear Implant Society)
    President of EURO-CIU  (European Association of Cochlear Implant Users)

Globale Unterstützung für CI-Träger: Die Rolle der Lehnhardt Stiftung im Jubiläumsjahr

by

Vorstandsmitglied der Lehnhardt Stiftung Liubov Wolowik nahm an inspirierendem 29. Friedberger Cochlea-Implantat- und Hörsystem-Symposium teil, das eine Plattform für den Austausch bahnbrechender Entwicklungen und Erfahrungsberichte bot.

Der erste Tag begann mit einer lebendigen Diskussion im Rahmen eines Workshops zur Selbsthilfe, geleitet von Ulrike Berger von der DCIG. Teilgenommen haben Akustiker, CI-Träger und Therapeuten.

Die Veranstaltung bot viele spannende Vorträge zu verschiedenen wichtigen Themen, darunter die frühe Rehabilitation und Anpassung, SSD (einseitige Taubheit) bei Kindern und Erwachsenen, die Kombination von Hören und Blindheit, die Rolle der Akustiker vor und nach der CI-Operation, die Rolle der Psychologen in CI-Zentren, Mehrsprachigkeit und der neue Bluetooth-Standard Auracast für bessere Konnektivität.

Sie hielte einen Vortrag über die globale Unterstützung für CI-Träger, einschließlich der Lehnhardt Stiftung, die ihr 30-jähriges Bestehen feiert, und über den Einfluss von Prof. Dr. Ernst Lehnhardt, dessen 100. Geburtstag wir dieses Jahr feiern.

Download (PDF, 3.59MB)

Besonders beeindruckend waren die zahlreichen Erfahrungsberichte, die tiefere Einblicke in die Praxis und den Alltag der Betroffenen ermöglichten.

Ein herzliches Dankeschön an die Veranstalter, insbesondere Gunther Haschker, und alle Teilnehmenden für den wertvollen Austausch und die inspirierenden Diskussionen!

Read more

Support for Families from Ukraine

by

On behalf of the NGO “Ya Chuyu z Kokhlear” (I Hear with Cochlear), we sincerely thank you for your meaningful support and compassion for children and adults with hearing loss.

Thanks to your help, 45 children with cochlear implants and 15 children and adults with hearing aids received essential speech processors, spare parts, and hearing devices.

At the end of April, audiologist Denys Lytun will visit, and even more children will be able to have their devices adjusted and receive the components they need.

Your contribution is more than just technical assistance – it is a gateway to communication.

With deep respect and gratitude,
Liudmyla Svoren
Head of NGO “Ya Chuyu z Kokhlear”, Zakarpattia Region