A Reedsport teen suffering hearing loss got good news last week.

Her hearing loss is not connected to a tumor.



A few months ago, 16-year-old Tonni Willis, a junior at Reedsport High School, began losing her hearing in her left ear. After being shuttled from doctor to doctor, Willis finally got the diagnosis from a doctor at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland: She has sensori-neural hearing loss. In early January, her family took her to the hospital for an MRI to see if a tumor could be the cause. Doctors, still unable to determine a cause for her hearing loss, found no tumor or mass, said Tonni’s mother, Diana Willis, in a phone interview Wednesday.  

Doctors told Diana the teen could be a candidate for a bone-anchored hearing implant. A Baha implant uses bone conduction, bypassing the middle ear and connecting to a cochlea to improve hearing, according to the device’s manufacturer, Cochlear.

The Baha costs $16,000 to $18,000, said George Cire, clinical manager of bone-anchored solutions at Cochlear America in Englewood, Colo. Costs vary from region to region and include the implant and surgeon’s costs, he added.

Tonni’s father, Clint Willis, works part time at an automotive shop. Following the death of his boss, his pay and hours were cut. Diana works as a substitute worker in the Reedsport School District.

Tonni’s grandmother, Helen Collop, said community members are planning fundraisers for the family to pay for the implant and doctors expenses. The Willises qualified for discounted care from Doernbecher. The entire hospital bill is covered at 50 percent for medically necessary doctor’s treatments and 100 percent for the hospital care.

An account has been set up in Tonni’s name at Oregon First Community Credit Union in Reedsport to help the family pay for treatment expenses and trip costs. Those who are interested can donate at any credit union branch.