Clovis cancer survivor who lost hearing at 12 wins hearing aids

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Christmas came early for a hard-of-hearing Clovis Community College student.

Kristina Kershaw's story came through loud and clear in the "Campaign for Better Hearing Give Back Program."

She deserves to hear a little more Christmas cheer.

The day before Kristina turned 13, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma - bone cancer.

"I went through chemo for that. One of the chemos that they gave me caused the hearing loss. It got progressively worse," she says.

School was difficult.

"Teasing a lot. Not so much serious bullying but teasing. It gets to you after time," she says.

Actually, school and work have been difficult for this cancer survivor the past decade, she says.

"Saying 'huh' and asking and having to not hear the bread timer at work and having to ask, 'What did you say?' and ask a million questions over and over again."

Kristina visited Hearing Life in Clovis because she wondered how much hearing aids might cost.

The clinic entered Kristina in the company's nationwide contest for free hearing aids because of all the challenges she has faced.

"She's young. She's a vibrant young woman. She's very smart. She's working hard - working two jobs and going to school," says Hearing Instrument Specialist Jennifer Valdez.

She's been working two jobs to try to save up for hearing aids.

But as one of the contest winners, Kristina was fitted with a free pair, which normally sell for $7100.

Kristina can now even hear her mother whispering to her.

She says she's "very, very thankful because I wouldn't have been able to get hearing aids at all."

Kristina figures she'll do even better in school since she'll be able to hear the teacher much better now.

She listened to some music and says she could hear stuff she didn't even know was in the music before.