Miami Marlins Bring Holiday Cheer to UM Ear Institute
The holidays came a little early for the UM Ear Institute this year. On December 15, members of the Miami Marlins organization, working with AYUDA, the Adults and Youth who are Underserved Deserve Attention program, paid a surprise visit to the Ear Institute, donating toys and a DVD player. The generous donation to the Cochlear Implant Program was part of a holiday charity giveaway, and came as a complete surprise.
Thomas J. Balkany, M.D., Hotchkiss Professor of Otolaryngology and director of the UM Ear Institute, was very appreciative of the unexpected gifts. “On behalf of the UM Ear Institute and the Department of Otolaryngology, it is an honor to thank the Marlins and AYUDA for their generosity. Christmas came early for the deaf children we have the privilege of caring for at the Miller School.”
Organizers called the Ear Institute in the morning to ask what items would be helpful to the Cochlear Implant Program, and upon learning that the DVD player used in the children’s waiting area had recently broken, the group arrived with a replacement and toys.
AYUDA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting underserved or at-risk families in Miami-Dade County through education, life-skills training, and programs that support self-sufficiency.
