Cochlear Implants for Liam

Hello and good day everyone! I am Oliver Mendiola and I created this fundraising campaign for my nephew, Liam, son of my sister, Ia and brother-in-law, Ricky. Here’s the story as shared by them.

 

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LIAM WARREN:

 

Liam was an answered prayer from God– the final piece that completed our family puzzle four years after our first-born daughter was born. He was conceived during the pandemic, the highlight of an otherwise bleak and desolate time. He was, at 9.3 lbs., our literal big bundle of joy; perfect in all the visible ways that a newborn child could be -- ten fingers and ten toes, a hearty cry when he’s hungry, a peaceful and satisfied smile when cuddled by his mom.

 

THE DIAGNOSIS

 

On Liam’s 3rd day at the hospital, he passed all of his newborn screening tests, except for one. He failed his newborn hearing test and we were told that the test would have to be taken again the next day after Liam has taken a bath because Liam’s ears might still be clogged. The following day, he failed the test once more and we were told that we had to take the hearing test again after two weeks because babies sometimes have water in their ears and Liam will likely eventually pass the test.

 

We took the hearing test two more times over a span of five weeks and failed both times after which we were told to take the more definitive ABR hearing test when he reached the age of three months because it was possible that his hearing organs just needed a bit more time to develop.

 

When Liam reached 3 months old, he underwent the ABR test and the results were gut-wrenching: severe to profound hearing loss on both ears. We were both at a loss and were in a state of shock upon learning of Liam’s diagnosis. It was a combination of disbelief, denial, shock and numbness. Our precious child, the perfect blessing who came at a time when hope was in short supply, was deaf on both ears.

 

THE EYE-OPENER

 

After Liam’s ABR test results came out, we consulted with an ENT surgeon. Having no clue as to what lies ahead of us, we were advised to have Liam wear hearing aids to stimulate the neural connections in his brain and to see if the hearing aids would yield enough benefit for him to hear across all frequencies. But we were also told that there was the possibility that hearing aids will not be sufficient and that in order to enable Liam to hear, he would have to be implanted with cochlear implants when he was old and strong enough to undergo surgery.

 

MOVING FORWARD TO LIAM’S JOURNEY TO UNSTOPPABLE

 

It gutted us when we learned about Liam’s hearing loss, knowing that he will not be able to hear naturally like most other kids. But we were also hopeful because we knew that there is technology available that can enable Liam to hear, speak and lead a normal life. After several months of wearing hearing aids, multiple hearing tests and many sessions of auditory verbal therapy, it has become apparent that cochlear implantation would give him the best chance to learn to hear and speak and be the best he can be in life.

 

In a few weeks, Liam will undergo surgery and we ask that you pray for him and our family as we navigate what lies ahead. Our collective faith, trust in God, and love will be what matters most in “Liam’s Journey to Unstoppable”.

 

-- Ricky and Ia Hilado

 

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Liam’s journey to lead a normal and happy life will come at a steep price because cochlear implants are very expensive but I am confident that, with the generosity of people like you, we will be able to raise enough funds to cover the cost of my nephew’s implants, the surgery and the therapy that will follow to enable him to thrive despite his disability.

 

I will be forever grateful for any financial help that you can extend for dear Liam. Thank you for reading Liam’s story and may you be blessed a thousand-fold.

 

-- Oliver