The Flowers Family - Clarke Offers Life Changing Results

To gain access to sound, most Clarke students use cochlear implants, which bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. However, for five-year-old Jorden Flowers, who was born without auditory nerves, cochlea and ear canals, a cochlear implant was impossible.

Jorden, who currently attends Clarke Jacksonville, is the son of Johnny Flowers and Olympic Gold Medalist Vonetta Flowers. Jorden's twin brother Jaden was born with typical hearing, despite the twins' premature birth. Vonetta and Johnny immediately started researching options for Jorden, and their research led them to an Italian doctor who specializes in auditory brainstem implants, the only device that can restore limited hearing to people who have no auditory nerves or cochlea.

Although in the United States the auditory brainstem implant surgery is not yet approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for children under 12, Johnny and Vonetta felt this was the right option for Jorden. They traveled to Italy and in December 2005, Jorden became the first American child to receive an auditory brainstem implant. The surgery was a success and after a month of healing, Jorden heard his first sounds. This was a huge step, but Jorden needed to learn how to use his new technology in order to understand the sounds he could now access. That is when the Flowers found Clarke's Jacksonville campus. After Jorden successfully participated in a summer program at Clarke, the Flowers moved to Jacksonville from Birmingham, Alabama so Jorden could enroll.

"We wanted Jorden to be able to communicate his needs and wants verbally," Vonetta said. "He needed a place that understood his needs and could focus on helping him meet individual goals and milestones. He needed to be around kids who were experiencing the same challenges so that he could grow socially and emotionally. We found that place at Clarke."

Since coming to Clarke, Jorden's listening skills and vocabulary have steadily increased as he actively participates in classroom activities and auditory-based therapy. The improvement in his auditory capabilities has been dramatic.

"Jorden is a hardworking young man who doesn't give up," said Jacksonville Director Susan G. Allen. "We don't know exactly what the possibilities are for Jorden with this auditory brainstem implant, but it is our mission and our pleasure to open all the possibilities!"

It is no surprise that everyone who meets Jorden is struck by his amazing determination and motivation. Some of that determination seems to be genetic. Vonetta Flowers became the first African-American to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics when she captured the gold in the two-woman bobsled competition at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. She has since retired from the sport to spend more time with her family.

"Clarke has changed our lives in so many ways," Vonetta said.  "Kids that attend Clarke have a chance to reach their potential, and the auditory training they receive will directly impact the way they communicate for the rest of their lives."

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