Born in November 2013, Savannah passed her initial hearing screening at birth, leaving her parents unaware of any hearing issues. It wasn’t until a playful moment during a game of telephone at age 6 that they discovered Savannah’s hearing impairment. Her father, Gabe, recalls the moment: “I whispered something into her left ear, and she said, ‘Oh no, Daddy, you have to whisper in my other ear. That ear doesn’t work.’”
This revelation was the start of Savannah’s hearing journey. This casual game confirmed their initial suspicions. Gabe shares, “When she told us she couldn’t hear out of that ear, it made sense. She was always a loud talker, and her speech curled towards the ear that worked.”
The family sought help from hearing specialists, but the initial results were disheartening. “We tried a hearing aid, but it only boosted her hearing from 4% to 12%. It just wasn’t enough,” Gabe explained. During this time, Savannah’s family also moved from Miami to Gulf Breeze, Florida. However, this new location came with its own set of challenges. “We love it here, but there are limited resources,” Gabe notes.
Determined to find a solution, Savannah’s family reached out to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida, a decision that would change Savannah’s life. “I started calling around the country and when I spoke to Sandra, the implant coordinator, I was at my wits end. She reassured me and said, ‘We got you. We can make this happen.’” Despite the 900-mile round trip from Gulf Breeze to Orlando, the family committed to the journey for the high-quality care they found at Nemours Children’s.
The Nemours team’s coordinated approach stood out to Gabe and their family. Gabe shares, “People would ask us ‘Why would you drive so long or go to a hospital that far away? Especially knowing how many trips it will take? Why would you add that on top of your load?’ And I’ll be honest it it’s because Nemours is everything that we were looking for. It’s a team-oriented practice with layered specialties. Whether it was obtaining advanced testing to see if the brain would respond to new sound (cortical testing) with audiologist Dr. Nicole Becker or the cochlear implant candidacy testing with implant audiologist Dr. Chelsea Clancy, the team provided timely and accurate results. When Savannah had an anomaly in her brain during an MRI, Dr. Pritchett just picked up the phone and got us in to see one of the neurologists, Dr. Zinn the next day. That would have taken months elsewhere. It’s very clear that Nemours has a carefully thought-out process.” This efficient and compassionate care was crucial for the family, allowing them to address multiple medical needs in a single trip.
Savannah underwent cochlear implant surgery with Dr. Pritchett just two and a half weeks ago. “When we went in for surgery, somebody was there to welcome us, walked us through the process, and the caring and compassion was very obvious. Everyone on the team was asking ‘What do you need? What can we do to help?’ It felt like concierge service! Whether it was Sandra coming up to check on us, or somebody from surgery giving an update, or the text messages we received throughout surgery, we were always in the know. We couldn’t be happier with how seamless the surgery went.”
The Ronald McDonald House on Nemours’ campus provided the family with a vital support system during this time. “Being able to stay steps away from the hospital was a lifeline. The care and compassion there were extraordinary,” Gabe says.
Now, Savannah is recovering from surgery and doing well. “She’s incredible,” shares Gabe. “The recovery was quick. After some initial dizziness and nausea, she bounced back within days. It’s hard to believe it’s only been two weeks,” Gabe marvels. Savannah’s resilience and positive spirit shine through as she eagerly awaits the activation of her implant and looks forward to returning to her favorite activities, including gymnastics. “She’s been back at the gym now for about a week, just stretching,” shares Gabe. “You would not know looking at her that she has a surgery scar that is freshly healing right behind her ear. She’s bouncing around and bubbly and talking to everybody, just counting down the days to when she can get back up on the bars! Savannah is very proud that she has a cochlear. She’s proud that he did this surgery. At her school and gym, she’s the only girl who is hearing impaired and will be the only girl with a cochlear and it doesn’t faze her one bit. She is super excited and wants to show it off and wear it. It’s gonna be awesome, we’re really looking forward to it being turned on.”
Looking ahead, Savannah has a check-up appointment and virtual speech therapy sessions, reducing the need for frequent long-distance travel. Gabe emphasizes the importance of working closely with healthcare providers. “Parents need to do their part—making phone calls, following up on authorizations. We were willing to do whatever it took to get Savannah the care she needed.”
Reflecting on their journey, Gabe expresses gratitude for the care received at Nemours: “Dr. Pritchett and his team are among the most professional specialists we’ve encountered. They truly care about the patient and the family.” For other parents facing similar challenges, Gabe’s advice is clear: “It matters where you go. The effort you put into finding the right care for your child can make all the difference.”
Savannah’s story is a testament to the resilience of children and the impact of dedicated medical care. With Nemours Children’s Health by their side, Savannah and her family are looking forward to a future filled with new sounds and continued adventures.
