Accessibility in the News — 6/24/2022.

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Feature Stories

M.T.A. Vows to Make Subways 95% Accessible. It Will Take 33 Years.

June 22, 2022 | Source: The New York Times & NY Daily News & Bloomberg & City Life Org & Fort Bend Herald & USNews & Associated Press & The Hill & Governor Kathy Hochul & amNewYork & New York Post & Brooklyn Eagle & NY1 & PIX11 & Planetizen & Intelligent Transport & Mass Transit & 6sqft & Bronx Times & Smart Cities Dive & Thrillist & Gothamist & FOX 5

New York has lagged for years behind other major American cities in making its subway system accessible to people with disabilities: Just 126 of its 472 stations, or 27 percent, have elevators or ramps that make them fully accessible. But on Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it would add elevators and ramps to 95 percent of the subway’s stations by 2055 as part of a settlement agreement in two class-action lawsuits over the issue…

National News (U.S.)

For the first time, a visually impaired cast performs ‘The Braille Legacy’ musical

May 27, 2022 | Source: Los Angeles Times

A triumph for the blind community

June 3, 2022 | Source: Los Angeles Times

Clad in a gray overcoat and tidy ascot, Ronnie Chism strides confidently in front of the camera. Chism pauses, then begins to tap the floor with his white cane, creating a rhythmic beat he raps along with. Chism wrote and will perform this song, “Sounds of My Cane,” for “The Braille Legacy,” a new production at Inglewood’s Miracle Theater premiering June 24. Written by French author Sébastien Lancrenon, the musical tracks the story of Louis Braille, the inventor of the alphabet for the blind…

Are Inclusion Efforts A Waste Of Time And Money? 4 Lessons From Lego That Spotlight DEI Done Right

June 14, 2022 | Source: Forbes- Denise Brodey

If you think that diversity equity and inclusion initiatives are loaded with false promises and don’t engage the workforce in a way that’s meaningful, you’re not alone. New reporting from MIT Sloan Management Review suggests that maybe organizations aren’t putting the same ambition or energy into inclusion efforts or may lack the creativity that they need to get the task done. A report from The Valuable 500 (full disclosure, I am the author) also shows that while companies say they are well positioned to be inclusive in the coming years, many key efforts, from surveying consumers to making their products more accessible, remain stagnant…

As Lizzo was called out for ableism, many Black disabled people felt overlooked

June 16, 2022 | Source: NPR

It’s ‘About Damn Time’— How Lizzo Changed Her Tune (And The World) For 1.3 Billion Disabled People

June 16, 2022 | Source: Forbes- Denise Brodey

When singer-songwriter Lizzo’s new single, “Grrrls,” sparked a heated online discussion over the weekend about ableist language, Black disabled activist Vilissa Thompson noticed that the conversations were dominated by certain people within the disability community. White disabled people in the U.S. and the U.K. were calling out the singer for using the word “spaz,” which many consider an ableist slur. Buried among these critiques, however, was the perspective of Black disabled people, who raised points about the need for cultural nuance and an intersectional lens to the situation…

Retired School Teachers Lead Effort To Raise Millions To Build Accessible Playground For Their Community

June 16, 2022 | Source: NBC Bay Area (Video)

Park full of firsts: Accessible playground opens in Woodbridge

June 19, 2022 | Source: WTOP

When Shirlee Locicero thinks back on her teaching career of 30 years, she has many wonderful memories. Still, there’s a melancholy memory that still sticks with Shirlee to this day: the times when her students with disabilities would stand by her side during recess because the playground where the other children played didn’t adapt to their needs. “I just felt so bad that they didn’t have anything that they could play on. They needed some adaptive equipment,” Shirlee said…

Lack of Internet, Web Accessibility Harm Employment for Disabled

June 17, 2022 | Source: Bloomberg Law

Disparities in access to the internet and accessible websites is driving a gap in employment rates for people with disabilities, even as the prevalence of remote working opportunities has opened the door for them. While the Covid-19 pandemic made the digital world more vital for day-to-day activities—including work—web accessibility for those with disabilities isn’t guaranteed in the same way physical commercial spaces are. Disabled workers are 13% less likely to have internet access at home and 11% less likely to own a computing device, according to a recent report from the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy…

NHL brings in sign language interpreter for commissioner

June 17, 2022 | Source: The Washington Post

Brice Christianson went to sporting events as a child and realized how inaccessible that world was for his deaf father. On Wednesday night, he stood 10 feet from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman translating English into American Sign Language for the annual state of the league address at the Stanley Cup Final. Christianson was shown picture-in-picture on NHL Network interpreting Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly’s remarks. Sign language interpreters have been present for national anthems, but this represented the NHL’s biggest step yet to make the stories around hockey available to the deaf and hard of hearing community…

5 Disability Issue Questions To Ask State And Local Midterm Election Candidates

June 18, 2022 | Source: Forbes

People with disabilities have strong reasons to focus on Midterm Elections, and not just Congressional candidates, or control of the House and Senate. Disability activism may not be the most visible cause in American life, but it is still a vast and complex movement, with many urgent and long term priorities. The highest profile disability activism tends to focus on national politics, especially the activities of Congress and the White House. There are logical reasons for this…

Twitter – Microassist Disabilities

June 18, 2022 | Source: The DC Post

Hundreds of DC residents with disabilities have been forced to wait up to more than 10 years for housing by the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), according to DC Attorney General Karl Racine who sued the agency. “This Complaint makes clear that DCHA has repeatedly failed to fulfill its legal responsibility to accommodate District residents who have physical disabilities with housing units that are safe and accessible,” Racine said in a release…

‘More work needed’ to make Jersey polling stations accessible, says disabled islander

June 20, 2022 | Source: ITV

More work is needed to make polling stations in Jersey accessible ahead of Wednesday’s general election, according to one disabled islander. Coral Howard who uses a mobility scooter told ITV Channel TV that officials must do more to encourage those with disabilities to vote, with overall turnout at the last election barely reaching 43%. She said: “It is a surprise to me as you would expect by 2022 that something will have been done. Postal voting is the way to go…

Insomnia Cookies class action alleges website not accessible to blind, visually impaired

June 21, 2022 | Source: Top Class Actions

Insomnia Cookies does not make its website accessible to blind and visually impaired people using screen readers, in violation of the law, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Elbert Dawkins filed the class action lawsuit against Insomnia Cookies June 19 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Dawkins is a visually impaired and legally blind person who requires screen-reading software to read website content using his computer…

More Than 30 Years After ADA, Cities Fail To Be Accessible

June 21, 2022 | Source: Newsy (Video)

It has almost been 32 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. It’s aimed at prohibiting discrimination and giving people with disabilities the same opportunities as everyone else; however, most of the country is still not built for people with disabilities in mind, especially our streets and sidewalks. This also comes at a time when pedestrian deaths are at an all-time high. A recent analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Administration found that in 2021, nearly 7,500 pedestrians were killed, the largest number in four decades…

Billings Clinic procedure gives some deaf patients the ability to hear

June 21, 2022 | Source: KTVQ

Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people. That’s a quote by Helen Keller and a reality that Dr. Robert Marks of Ennis lives every day. Marks’ hearing loss began in 1973 while serving in the Marine Corp when a weapon accidentally discharged near him and cut the hearing in his left ear by 60 percent. Twenty years later, that 60 percent dropped to 15 percent. His hearing overall has deteriorated as he’s gotten older and after another accident, this time caused by faulty ear protection, the hearing in his right ear only functions around 25 percent…

Born deaf, this teen helped Monmouth College with sign language. Now, she’ll attend it

June 21, 2022 | Source: Galesburg

In the fall of 2015, Monmouth College staged a production of the Nina Raine play “Tribes,” in which American Sign Language plays a part in telling the story. Dareann Weber, then a sixth-grade student, found herself in a teaching role with Monmouth students, as her ability to communicate through sign language was in demand. It was a turning point in her life. “Teaching the students in ‘Tribes’ is really special to my heart,” said Dareann, who will enroll at Monmouth College this fall thanks, in part, to receiving a prestigious P.E.O. STAR Scholarship…

‘Accessibility is a journey’: A DEI expert on disability rights

June 22, 2022 | Source: HR Dive

As HR professionals dig into the accessibility aspect of DEI, potholes abound. “Accessibility is one of those terms that engenders a lot of anxiety for folks,” Kelly Hermann told HR Dive. “They’re like, ‘I don’t want to do it wrong. I don’t want to be seen as the person who is going to kick the person in the wheelchair or, you know, be discriminatory,’” she recalled. As VP of access, diversity and inclusion for the University of Phoenix, Hermann addresses campus accessibility concerns. She shows up for students with disabilities, as well as faculty and staff…

Justice Department Finds Maine in Violation of ADA For Over-Institutionalization of Children with Disabilities

June 22, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice

On the 23rd anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C., the Department of Justice announced today that it has concluded that Maine unnecessarily segregates children with mental health and/or developmental disabilities, in psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment facilities, and a state-operated juvenile detention facility. The Olmstead decision held that people with disabilities have a right to live and receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs — typically in their homes and communities instead of in institutions…

Aging Population Ups Demand for Already Scarce Accessible Homes

June 22, 2022 | Source: Bloomberg Law

A rapidly aging population will require more housing with accessibility features like bathroom grab bars and lower cabinets that are scarce on the current market, Harvard researchers warn in a new report. Households with residents 65 or older are set to grow to more than 50 million by 2038. Of that 50 million, 17.5 million will belong to residents older than 80, who are more likely to have a hard time navigating and using their home, according to a report by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies…

Justice Department Commemorates The Anniversary Of Olmstead V. L.C.

June 22, 2022 | Source: Department of Justice

Twenty-three years ago today, the Supreme Court decided Olmstead v. L.C., a landmark case interpreting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In Olmstead, the Court ruled that the ADA prohibits unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities, who have a right to live and receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate. Enforcement of this “integration mandate” has enabled many thousands of people with disabilities to live in their homes and communities instead of in institutions, and to have greater independence, autonomy, and opportunities to participate fully in their communities…

Study: Herpes Zoster Is Not Associated With Increased Risk of Dementia

June 23, 2022 | Source: Pharmacy Times

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is not associated with an increased risk of dementia, despite scientific speculation that nerve inflammation related to shingles could increase this risk according to the results of a study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “As a person’s age increases, so does their risk of dementia, and it’s important to determine which factors may contribute to this risk,” Sigrun Alba Johannesdottir Schmidt, MD, PhD, of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, said in a statement…

‘It’s not a disease, we’re not broken’: Overcoming adversity as a Deaf individual in Amarillo

June 23, 2022 | Source: News Channel 10

It’s been a life of overcoming obstacles and adversity for Coach Scott Tankersley. Coach Tank recently retired after 33 years of coaching. The journey to finding a school to look past his deafness and into his passion, hasn’t always been easy. “They would say things like, ‘I can’t understand him, can you understand him? Hey if I can’t understand him, how are the kids going to understand him?, So they would talk and it was a lot of negative comments and I knew that school wouldn’t be for me,” said Coach Tank…

Argyle teen wins gold with U.S. deaf soccer team

June 23, 2022 | Source: Cross Timbers Gazette

Ella Sheridan isn’t unlike most teenage soccer players in that you can pick any day of the week, and she’s likely going to be on a field somewhere. The Argyle resident and junior at Westlake Academy has played competitive soccer since she was in the fifth grade and is used to a hectic travel schedule with her local select team. But last month, Sheridan had the opportunity of a lifetime as she competed for a gold medal in Brazil — all because of the one thing that does make her just a little bit different than her teammates back home…

Jack Fact — According to the CDC, 1 in 3 adults with disabilities 18 to 44 years have an unmet health care need because of cost in the past year.

Hit The Road Jack — What it takes to make Delaware beaches more accessible for visitors with disabilities & Panama City Beach Unveils Accessible Travel Campaign

International News

Fun fashion for all: Montreal students strut designs they created themselves

June 16, 2022 | Source: CTV News- Canada (Video)

Students at Montreal’s Mackay Centre School are striking a pose that will never go out of style. The school services students, who are deaf, physically disabled and/or have a communication disorder, created their own outfits as part of an accessible fashion show. “My outfit was a tree. It represents peace so there’s no trash and no pollution,” Micaiah Wiseman explained to CTV National News’ Vanessa Lee. Wiseman has spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. “You know, it’s just you want to be who you are, you want to be yourself, to be happy.”…

I had to move to the North East to get an accessible home. We need to provide more housing for people with disabilities

June 16, 2022 | Source: Inside Housing- UK

I had an epiphany last year, and it wasn’t even Christmas. It was when we moved to our new house last summer. I realised that we could be enabled by our environment. My wife and I moved from an early 1800s Victorian semi-detached property in the South West into a new build house in the North East. Our old house was so unsuitable for me that the occupational therapist (OT) declared me ‘technically homeless’. I had to leave my home and the area because there were so few homes that had the accessibility features I required…

Ukraine highlights efforts to close digital divide for people with disabilities during New York conference

June 17, 2022 | Source: Relief Web- Ukraine

Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation presented the country’s achievements in the field of digital accessibility during the 15th Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in New York this week. Yurii Matsyk, Head of the MDT’s Directorate of Fixed and Mobile Broadband, shared how people with disabilities are able to access online services as a result on the steps taken by the MDT with help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to increase the digital accessibility of web resources of government authorities and eliminate the digital divide in Ukraine…

The internet is not designed for people with disabilities. This Toronto entrepreneur is changing that

June 17, 2022 | Source: Toronto Star- Canada

Three Steps To Start Practicing Inclusive Product Development

June 15, 2022 | Source: Forbes- Alwar Pillai- Canada

For people living with disabilities, the internet can be almost as full of annoying barriers as the real world. Poor design choices can make websites hard to navigate for those with visual impairments, while users with hearing difficulties may struggle in online conferences that fail to make necessary accommodations. While there has been slow progress over the past 20 years, one recent study suggests that only two per cent of the internet is fully accessible…

Cambridge continues to lead in removing accessibility barriers

June 17, 2022 | Source: CambridgeToday- Canada

Accessibility is key to living in an inclusive city. And more and more cities seek to be more accessible, including mobility for its residents. Cambridge continues to help minimize barriers for those with disabilities. Dan Lajoie, chair of the city of Cambridge Accessibility Advisory Committee, says that Cambridge rates high when it comes to supporting accessibility. “The Accessibility Advisory Committee and city council have always been really receptive in making areas more accessible and have always made sure that there is a process in place to make places as accessible as possible,” Lajoie said…

Accessibility an issue for voters at polling booths

June 18, 2022 | Source: The North Central Review- Australia

Wandong resident Yvette Curlis is campaigning for improved accessibility at Australian Electoral Commission, AEC, polling booths after a friend was unable to independently access Wandong Primary School during last month’s federal election. Ms Curlis, who has used a wheelchair at times, said she had discussed accessibility at Wandong Primary School with Mitchell Shire Council for more than five years. The school serves as an AEC polling booth during federal elections, and Ms Curlis said it was not up to standard for people requiring independent wheelchair access…

Wacky antics help Captain Tobias launch his campaign for accessible playgrounds

June 18, 2022 | Source: Yahoo- UK & BBC & ITV

Scores of people helped inspirational young fundraiser Captain Tobias launch his latest campaign to make playgrounds more accessible, by completing a kilometre (0.6 miles) in the wackiest way they can imagine. Tobias Weller, 11, was joined by a crowd of singing and clapping friends and supporters in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, on Saturday, with some completing the distance three-legged, one man trying it on his hands and a family passing a balloon between their legs all the way…

Accessible tourism must address social disabilities, too

June 19, 2022 | Source: ISRAEL21c

June 20, 2022 | Source: Mid-Day- Greece

Accessibility at hotels and tourism and leisure venues should not only be about accommodating wheelchairs and guide dogs, says Prof. Yaniv Poria. Accessibility also means alleviating difficulties encountered by people with, for example, obesity or autism. “Today, the right of tourism, leisure and recreation is a social right,” says Poria, dean of the Eilat campus of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a researcher and lecturer in its Department of Hotel and Tourism Management…

MoU signed to ensure more accessibility to products and services for persons with disabilities

June 19, 2022 | Source: The Malta Independent- Malta

Accessibility for parents with disability: fact or fantasy? | Source: Malta Today- Malta

The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) and the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure more accessibility to products and services for persons with disabilities. This initiative will strengthen the Commission’s role in market surveillance for people with disabilities, allowing for the CRPD to assist with the accessibility of products that are regulated by the European Accessibility Directive…

Deafness Free Karnataka: Cochlear implant scheme to be launched tomorrow

June 19, 2022 | Source: New Indian Express- India

The cochlear implant scheme for congenitally deaf children, planned in the 2022-23 budget, will be launched on Monday. The state has empanelled three hospitals for now and they will identify more hospitals soon. There are 1,939 children in the age group of 0-6 years who are affected with hearing impairment. Of them, the state has identified 652 children with severe to profound congenital hearing loss. With a vision of ‘Deafness Free Karnataka’, 500 congenitally deaf children will be fitted with cochlear implants under this scheme for which Rs 32 crore has been allotted….

Acting local and thinking global, India makes a push for accessible tourism

June 20, 2022 | Source: Indian Express- India

Amid global efforts to create universally accessible and inclusive tourism culture, the Union tourism ministry is working on ‘accessible tourism guidelines for India’ to help both public and private sectors develop their resources and services in accordance with the concept of ‘Tourism for All’. The draft of the guidelines – a guidebook to create the best practices and acceptable standards for accessible tourism—has recently been finalised by the ministry for which it had engaged the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee (IIT) as knowledge partner…

What it’s like to be a deaf teenager during a pandemic

June 20, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada

What’s it like being deaf or hard of hearing in a pandemic? CBC Ottawa reached out to two teenagers at a school in Ottawa to understand their experience. Consortium Centre Jules-Léger teaches students from kindergarten to high school who are deaf, blind, deafblind, as well as those with learning disabilities. Because it is the only school in Canada outside Quebec that teaches students in French and using Quebec Sign Language (LSQ), many students live on campus…

The EFL’s rule change shows colour blindness is not a black and white issue

June 20, 2022 | Source: Yahoo- UK

Being colour blind has made life as a football reporter rather difficult at times, but it is fantastic to see the EFL taking action. Next season, clubs will be allowed to wear their away or third kits for home matches where there is a colour clash. Teams will also be able to ‘mix and match’ elements of their various strips to avoid potential clashes going forward. While the news will not mean much for most supporters, it could have a big impact for myself and others who have ever found themselves struggling to follow the action…

Aspiring chef: ‘Small or tall, I’m the same standard as everyone else in the kitchen’

June 21, 2022 | Source: BBC- UK

Louis Makepeace, who is very passionate about cooking, thinks there are lots of simple things restaurants and kitchens can do to make the profession more accessible. “You’ve got to understand the person you’re taking on, and understand what the person needs and how they feel comfortable,” Louis, who has a form of dwarfism, says. “Then adapt around it. There’s a million things you can do to adapt to any circumstance.” This year’s Accessibility in Hospitality survey from a UK hospitality research company, which questioned 250 people, suggests 71% believe more should be done to bring attention to the lack of accessibility for disabled people…

Universal Baseball: One Japanese Man’s Mission to Create an Accessible Pastime for Disabled Children

June 21, 2022 | Source: Nippon- Japan

Early April in Tochigi Prefecture is typically a time for enjoying cherry trees in full bloom. But at a park in Mooka on this Saturday morning, a brightly colored model of a baseball field vies with the blossoms for attention. It took Nakamura Tetsurō a little under an hour to assemble. Built to 1:20 scale, the replica measures 5 meters across and resembles a giant board game. The board’s makeup is captivating. Home plate consists of a turntable and specially designed batting device, while the field is dotted by areas marking hits and outs, including one labeled “home run.”…

Eyes closed to increasing number of avoidably blind

June 21, 2022 | Source: Health-E News- South Africa

South Africa runs the risk of an added barrier to achieving its national goals if it continues to close its eyes to the increasing number of people who are avoidably blind. Cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors continue to be an under-reported barrier to education, employment, and health. In a world where we depend on sight for productivity, safety and mobility, the increasing numbers of avoidably blind people remain a significant challenge. In 2020 the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) estimated that 11 million people in South Africa were living with vision loss…

Wheelchair user MLA calls for Stormont to do more on improving access for disabled people

June 21, 2022 | Source: Belfast Telegraph- Ireland

Stormont must have better access for disabled people, an MLA who uses a wheelchair after being badly injured in Afghanistan has said. Andy Allen has asked the Assembly Commission how it plans to make Parliament Buildings more accessible. The MLA, who has represented East Belfast since 2015, has partial blindness following injuries he sustained in Helmand Province while in the Army. He said: “The accessibility of parliamentary buildings has been something that has been a particular focus of mine since I came into the Assembly…

Government of Canada invests in accessible and disability inclusive early learning and child care system across Canada

June 22, 2022 | Source: Yahoo- Canada

Building a barrier-free country is a key priority for the Government of Canada. That is why it is working closely with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to create an early learning and child care system that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive. These efforts will help ensure that all families in Canada – including those with children with disabilities – have access to child care that is adapted to their needs, and inclusive from the start…

They wanted to see the Jays. How Toronto’s lack of wheelchair taxis left them ‘totally disappointed’

June 22, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada

What was supposed to be a real treat ended up being a real disappointment for a Vancouver woman and her brother in Toronto on Sunday after no wheelchair accessible cabs showed up on time to take them to the ball game. Wendy Stanyon said she had planned to take her brother, David Stanyon, who has a disability, to the Toronto Blue Jays game on Sunday afternoon against the New York Yankees. David uses a wheelchair and lives in Toronto. Wendy, who visits him once a year, flew into the city to be with him…

I’m queer and disabled. Pride isn’t accessible for me

June 23, 2022 | Source: CBC- Canada

I was born with a relatively rare and visible neuromuscular disability — spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to be specific. I knew I was marginalized before I was old enough to realize there was a term for it. Needless to say, my disabled identity fundamentally shaped who I am and how I interact with the world. I learned to self-advocate and accept my disability at a young age. But when I was a teenager, I realized I was also queer. It was a lot for me to process. In fact, I had never even encountered another queer and disabled person until I was an adult. My friends were predominantly queer, but they all presented as non-disabled…

Deaf Toddler Not Invited to Class Birthday Parties Labeled ‘Heartbreaking’

June 23, 2022 | Source: Newsweek- UK

A woman has taken to Mumsnet to share her worry that the reason why her child didn’t get invited to a few nursery pals’ birthday parties is because they’re discriminating against her for being deaf, and the internet is outraged. The mother, who goes by the username Cakemamma19, explained in her post that three children from the same nursery as her child have thrown birthday parties without inviting her 2.5-year-old child, and that there’s no other reason she can think of as to why they would exclude them…

How to sing in sign language: meet the interpreter joining Mohammed Abdu on stage

June 23, 2022 | Source: The National- UAE

How do you interpret some of Arabic popular music’s most dense and poetic lyrics into sign language? According to Raja Hasan, you need to put your body into it. In what could be a UAE first, the Jordanian interpreter will share the stage with Mohammed Abdu during his concert at Etihad Arena on Saturday, as he translates the revered Saudi singer’s songs to audience members who are hearing impaired. There are no UAE statistics about the prevalence of deafness and hearing disabilities. According to the World Health Organisation, more than five per cent of the world’s population — about 430 million — suffer from debilitating hearing loss…

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