Anju Kumari came to Champa Christian Hospital with a solemn face and little hope of change. Just 17 years old, she had experienced significant hearing loss since childhood and was trying to lip-read to get by. She saw no future for herself.

At this point, Anju had given up and dropped out of school and was left with no friends to talk to. Her almost-silent world had shrunk to just her home and family. Her parents were day laborers and had never been able to afford any treatment for Anju. Once the hospital staff convinced them that the cost of Anju’s treatment would be greatly reduced, they consented to her evaluation.

The auditory department staff performed pure-tone audiometry and other testing on Anju, and she was diagnosed with bilateral congenital hearing loss. She had moderately severe loss in her right ear and profound loss in the left. The doctors fitted her with an amplification device that significantly improved her hearing. They also gave Anju therapy to help her comprehension, and they spent time counseling her.

When Anju left Champa, she had a huge smile on her face and no doubt in her heart that she would continue her education. The treatment and loving care that the Champa doctors and nurses gave to Anju has completely turned her life around, and she and her parents are very thankful for it.