newsdoctor's Blog

The healing hands of some St. Louis doctors have touched a little girl from Romania.

3-year old Francesca Burcea lost her hearing when she contracted meningitis at 18-months of age. Her aunt, Kristina Bigu who lives in the St. Louis area, asked a doctor if anything could help her niece. He suggested a cochlear implant. The device is not available in Romania so Kristina got the ball rolling to get her niece to St. Louis.

The charity arm of Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center arranged to have Francesca brought to this country and provided its medical facilities. St. Louis University audiologist, Stanton Jones and SLU surgeon, Dr. Anthony Mikulec donated their time and the manufacturer donated a cochlear implant.

Francesca's surgery went well and the device was tested in early July. It worked and Francesca is hearing sounds. In fact, she is starting to say some of the words she was learning when she lost her hearing. Local doctors will be working with her for several months to help her develop speech and language skills.

As you can imagine, her mother and the aunt who made it all happen.. are excited and grateful. Francesca's went from hearing sound to silence to sound again. Her future looks and sounds much brighter thanks to a loving aunt and the generosity and expertise of some St. Louis doctors.