Professional Hearing Give the Gift of Hearing in the Philippines
Jayden Duensing Beck, Audiology Assistant at Professional Hearing Services, recently returned from a profoundly moving mission trip to the Philippines, where she joined Dr. Gyl Kasewurm and the Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide hearing care to underserved communities. This marks Jayden’s third humanitarian outreach, following her first mission to El Salvador in November 2024 and her second mission trip to the Dominican Republic in January 2025.
The trip was part of Starkey Hearing Foundation’s global initiative to restore hearing and reconnect individuals to their families, communities, and the world around them. For over 40 years, the Foundation has been dedicated to changing lives by delivering hearing aids and ongoing care to those who need it most. To date, they’ve reached over 1.5 million people in more than 100 countries.
In just two days on the ground in the Philippines, Jayden and Dr. Gyl fit more than 850 people with hearing aids—each one a powerful, personal story. From elderly individuals finally able to hear their grandchildren’s laughter, to young children hearing their parents' voices for the first time, every fitting was a moment of transformation.
“It’s hard to put into words what it’s like to witness someone hear clearly for the first time,” Jayden shared. “There’s this light that appears in their eyes—a mixture of joy, disbelief, and deep gratitude. I feel so honored to be part of that moment. These aren’t just hearing aids; they’re lifelines.” For Jayden, the mission wasn’t just about offering hearing care—it was about human connection. “It’s easy to forget, in our busy world, just how essential hearing is to belonging, understanding, and being understood. When someone hears a loved one’s voice after years of silence, it’s not just emotional—it’s sacred.”
The work of the Starkey Hearing Foundation extends far beyond the devices they fit. With a focus on awareness, education, protection, and treatment, they ensure that hearing health is sustained long after the mission is over. The Foundation’s president, Bill Austin, has pledged to distribute more than 100,000 hearing aids every year through the end of the decade. His vision is simple but powerful: “Alone we can’t do much. But together we can change the world.”
Hearing loss impacts 1 in 8 Americans and affects 430 million people worldwide, including 34 million children. The majority of these individuals lack access to proper hearing care—something Jayden and her fellow volunteers are working to change, one mission at a time.
Professional Hearing Services is incredibly proud to support Jayden in her passionate commitment to global hearing health and to stand with the Starkey Hearing Foundation in its mission to deliver compassion through care. Each trip, each person helped, brings us closer to a world where everyone can experience the simple yet profound joy of sound.
To learn more about Professional Hearing Services and the Starkey Hearing Foundation, visit:
