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Meet Our Parent Mentors
Ashlie
Ashlie is a mentor for parents caring for a child with moderate-severe-profound hearing loss with bilateral cochlear implants. She also offers mentorship related to audiology and speech and language therapy care services.
I am the mother of two amazing boys. We live on a farm in Parma, but I commute to town often for work, my son’s school, and to see family. Our son Krew was born with profound hearing loss, which was confirmed at one month old. My fiancé and I were devastated. There were so many unknowns and what-ifs. It was really tough on us both. However, after talking with doctors, we learned about cochlear implants. After a lot of research, we knew that was right option for our son. We wanted him to experience spoken language, hear us tell him how much we love him, and live life to the fullest. He was implanted at 10 months old.
For parents going through something similar, I want to offer hope and positivity. It was such a dark time in the beginning, but our son is doing amazing now, and I truly want to help others see the light. Krew is such a gift and so full of life with a big personality. Hearing him say "mama" fifty times a day is the best sound in the world! He is constantly trying new words and now says “love you!" He loves to chase his brother around, run and play in the dirt, ride on the tractor with Daddy, and sit on Mommy’s hip. He is sweet and ornery at the same time. We are absolutely grateful! Choosing cochlear implants has been the biggest blessing.
I am passionate about helping make this overwhelming journey a little easier for other families. I would love to support you in any way that I can!
You are not alone.
Caring for a child with complex medical needs can be complicated and overwhelming. Support from someone navigating similar challenges can make all the difference.