Alexa Gorenko, a graduate of the Yorkton Regional High School, along with her co-worker Lynne (Finney) Brewster, formerly of Melville, have been asked to present two sessions at the 5th European Pediatric Cochlear Implant Symposium in Antwerp, Belgium being held from June 4 to 7.
Daughter of Kay and Alex Gorenko, Alexa -- better known to her friends as Lexie -- began her career as a speech-language pathologist in Yorkton in 1972.
Her career has given her the opportunity to work in a variety of places such as Orlando, Florida; Edmonton; Toronto and Kingston, Ontario, and Saskatoon.
She has worked mainly in the public schools, but also at Sask Health; a treatment centre for physically handicapped children, and some private practice. In 1992, after an absence of 20 years, Alexa returned to Saskatchewan.
Five years ago she joined with fellow Minot State College grad and friend Lynne Brewster to work with hearing impaired children.
Lynne set up SPARC (the Elk's Saskatchewan Pediatric Auditory Rehabilitation Centre) 24 years ago to work with the families of children diagnosed with hearing impairment in the province.
In 1995 Alexa was hired to work as an auditory-verbal therapist and in 1998 both Alexa and Lynne wrote an international exam to join the ranks of only about 160 Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapists world-wide. In 1999 Lynne received her PhD.
Alexa and Lynne both work as members of the Saskatchewan Cochlear Implant Team and work with 60 children in Saskatchewan who have received cochlear implants.
At the Pediatric Cochlear Implant Symposium in Belgium the Saskatchewan Cochlear Implant Program will be highlighted.
Alexa says the major funding source for the SPARC program has been the Elk's Walkathon.
On October 14 the Elk's Walkathon will be held in Yorkton with the Yorkton Elks Club hosting members of the Elks and Order of the Royal Purple lodges throughout Saskatchewan. Alexa urges the support of this worthy effort as it has funded and helped hundreds of children with hearing impairment, and their families.
Yorkton is proud of the many young people who have left Yorkton and are making their mark provincially, nationally and internationally.