Camie started experiencing ear problems very early in life.When she was less than one year old she had several sets of tubes put in and taken out of her ears. It wasn’t until Camie was in Preschool that her mother realized she was having difficulty hearing. During a conversation with Camie her mother turned her head away and Camie told her she couldn’t understand her when she did that. Her mother shortly realized Camie was reading her lips not hearing her.After this monumental moment Camie had a hearing test and received her first hearing aids.“I was talking to her and looked away as I was saying something to her. She told me, ‘Mama don’t look away. I can’t hear you when you do that.’ So then I looked at her but covered my mouth as I spoke to her and she replied, ‘Don’t cover your mouth. I can’t understand you.’ That’s when I realized she was reading my lips.

“One of my favorite sounds are birds singing! They sound amazing and I love watching them. I also like hearing people laughing because it makes me laugh.”After Camie received her hearing aids she was finally able to hear her friends talking to her at school.She now wears them all the time and has the ability to connect them to her phone so she has even more control. Camie’s hearing aids automatically connect to the school’s FM system, allowing her to conveniently hear her classmates and teachers no matter what classroom she is in. Camie is also part of her school play and loves cooking and baking.Cooking helps Camie to cope with her ear pain which is why she wants to be in the kitchen all the time. Hearing aids have helped Camie to continue doing the things she loves and to experience the world around her.“My mom is my biggest role model. She found out about my hearing loss and started learning every thing she could to help me. She inspires me to be me. She encourages me to follow my dreams and work hard.”

Camie is a HearStrong Champion because at the young age of 11 she has proven to be a determined advocate for those with hearing loss. Camie believes hearing loss should not stop you from following your dreams and everyone deserves to have access to hearing aids regardless of money. Camie educates people about hearing loss and encourages everyone to get their hearing checked so they can live their best life just like her.