Sue Vermeulen is helping the world hear, one ear at a time.

Vermeulen, who operates hearing clinics in Wasaga Beach and Collingwood, just returned from a volunteer trip to Cairo Egypt.

She volunteers with a group called So The World May Hear, which is run by the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Volunteers install more than 20,000 hearing aids annually in places around the world including Turkey, Egypt, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

Vermeulen spent two weeks in Cairo and last year visited Istanbul, Turkey. She said it's a rewarding experience.

"The people you meet are unbelievable," Vermeulen said.

She recalls a story on her most recent trip of a woman in her late 70s, who hasn't heard anything in more than 40 years. As soon as Vermeulen put the hearing aid in her ear, the woman could hear a baby crying.

"She stood up and gave me a big hug," Vermeulen said. "She said 'I haven't heard a baby crying in 40 years. You have given me my life back.'"

Vermeulen said while some of the stories are great others are heartbreaking. She said there are some people who can't hear and a hearing aid won't help.

"It's very sad," she said. "It's a roller coaster ride. It brings tears to your eyes that there are young kids who can't hear anything."

Vermeulen said the hearing aids are primarily given to children. She said on the last trip to Egypt, the group of volunteers installed more than 7,000 hearing aids.

After several years of volunteering, Vermeulen said it's something she will do as long as she is able.

"You do it once, it gets in your blood," she said.

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