High winds greeted Henry Greenfield in late October as he made his way through Kansas on his bicycle.
Struggling with hearing loss for all of his 23 years, Greenfield started his trip to Culver City, Calif. from Jersey City on Sept. 23 in support for No Limits, a not-for-profit organization that provides after school and theater programs for students with hearing loss.
“I was in several of these productions as a kid in New Jersey and am now giving back via a fundraiser by biking across to where the foundation is based,” Greenfield said. “No Limits was an unbelievably positive environment that instilled confidence and self-belief in speaking in front of others.”
Kansas, known for its miles of unchanging scenery, tornadoes, and high winds, posed a particular challenge for Greenfield as he struggled to keep up his pace. But he reported recently that he has made progress, despite the challenges of weather, and will wander into more mountainous terrain as he reaches the last third of his trip west.
Greenfield returned to the theater group for reunion productions when he was 19, and again last summer, where he met with a number of other participants. He shared stories with them about the experience of being deaf.
National statistics from the National Institute on Deafness claim that about two or three out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears and that about one in eight people in the United States 12 or older has a hearing loss.
“No Limits was an unbelievably positive environment that instilled confidence and self-belief in speaking in front of others.” – Henry Greenfield
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I was 2 to 15, but my hearing deteriorated throughout middle and early high school,” Greenfield said. “I had lost my grasp on life socially and lost my confidence in my ability to feel integrated. Getting a cochlear implant in my right ear at 15 and then eventually my left ear at 21, I am more confident than ever.”
Despite handicap, a master’s degree
As of December 2012, approximately 324,200 people worldwide have received cochlear implants. In the United States, roughly 58,000 adults and 38,000 children have received them.
Greenfield recently received a master’s in secondary education from Lehigh University, and is constantly looking for ways to educate people on the reality, perspective and experience of hearing loss.
“Having cochlear implants is a gift as it has created many thought-provoking questions and
stimulating discussions,” he said. “My goal is to educate others on the realities, perspective, and experience of having hearing loss along the way, and the resources available, while raising funds for this organization. Living with hearing loss can be very frustrating and isolating, which is why outlets like No Limits can help combat that. Certainly it’s helped with my confidence today.”
Even though Greenfield is well on his way, he is still looking for sponsors and has emailed various organizations for this cause. He hopes to reach Albuquerque, N.M. by early November, and is trying to collect sponsors from back in Jersey City as well as along the road.
Since he loves to ride his bicycle (and says he appreciates the bicycle lanes the Jersey City recently installed on the street where he lives in Jersey City Heights), the bicycle trip across the country seemed like a good idea. He said he hopes to get some support from the biking community in Jersey City as well as other places.
Currently he has set up two fundraising pages. On one people can donate directly to the organization: (https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/HenryGreenfield/no-limits).
The other is a gofundme page ( http://www.gofundme.com/dugar4 ), which is more personal, and a small percentage (10 percent) will go to helping reimburse his expenses along the trip.
“The links have more information about my story and trip, and I definitely plan on blogging along the way,” he said.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.