Singers give voice to patients; Barbershop group raises funds so hospital can buy valves to help spe
Written by CASA NewsLink
Thursday, 29 May 2008
It was a donation that hit all the right notes with the speech pathology department at St. Catharines General Hospital. And it's one that will give voice to those in need of the most critical care at the hospital.
On Tuesday, the St. Catharines Singing Saints, a barbershop singing group, were recognized by the hospital for giving enough money to let the speech pathology department buy up to 10 seemingly simple plastic devices that enable patients with a tracheostomy to speak.
"It's a big quality of life factor. If you can't speak, you can't control anything around you," said Anna Mascitelli, a speech language pathologist at the hospital.
The device, called a Passey-Muir valve, runs about $125 each, and isn't paid for by the Ministry of Health.
