16th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
February 26-28, 2017 • Atlanta, GA
EHDI FAMILY LEADERSHIP AWARD
Hadley Haas
Hadley Haas has served as a dedicated and passionate member of the Pennsylvania Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program's (PA EHDI program) Infant Hearing Screening Advisory Committee (IHSAC) since 2011. I have had the honor to work with Hadley while also serving on the IHSAC, specifically on projects that focus on improving information for families, physicians, audiologists and birth facilities on newborn hearing screening and caring for babies and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. I have come to know Hadley as someone who commits to her cause knowing that her passion is the power that creates new life, new joys and new accomplishments for the IHSAC, families and their children in Pennsylvania.
Hadley's proudest accomplishment is being the mother to Declan (12 years old) and Bennett (10). Declan passed his newborn hearing screening only to later be diagnosed with a moderate to severe bilateral hearing loss at 22 months of age. He received his first cochlear implant at three years old and his second at five years old. He started at DePaul School when he was four years old and mainstreamed into his neighborhood school in first grade. He is now a successful, trumpet playing 7th grader. Bennett failed his first newborn hearing screening, but passed the rescreen the following day. Due to his brother's history, he had a full diagnostic audiologic evaluation at one week and was diagnosed with severe-profound bilateral hearing loss. He received simultaneous bilateral cochlear implants at 6.5 months old. He started in the DePaul toddler program at 20 months-old and mainstreamed into Kindergarten at his neighborhood school. He is now a very athletic 5th grader and is preparing for a small role in the 5th grade musical.
Hadley got involved with the Foundation for Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation in Chicago before her family relocated to Pittsburgh. Upon her move to Pennsylvania, she became a member (and former chair) of the Hearing Center Auxiliary at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh which she currently continues to hold membership. Hadley was appointed to the IHSAC as the parent representative in 2011. One of the reasons Hadley was considered for a position on the IHSAC was because she was totally committed to excellence and her passion for this cause drew commitment from others. Her interest in the committee continues to be two-fold: first, a desire to help all children with hearing loss become identified early; and second, a sense of gratitude for the level of services and technology from which her sons have benefited, and the knowledge that many children who could benefit from similar services and technology are not currently able to access them.
Hadley's true attitude of service to families, by representing them as an advisory committee member, is a symbol of love that inspires others to become involved, take action and celebrate