DALLAS (May 12, 2003) - The Crystal Charity Ball, recognized by Town & Country magazine as the best charity for children in the United States, has selected the Callier Center for Communication Disorders at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) to receive $625,760 in support of post-surgery cochlear implant services for profoundly deaf children in Dallas County.

The Callier Center previously was awarded funding from the Crystal Charity Ball, which holds its annual fund-raising event in December, on four occasions, most recently in 1993 when the center's cochlear implant program was established. The latest grant will bring to more than $1.6 million the amount the Crystal Charity Ball has donated to the Callier Center.

Callier Center faculty and students have been involved in research, educational programs and clinical services almost from the beginning as cochlear implants have evolved to become a viable option for deaf children and adults who were unable to speak or hear with conventional hearing aids. The Crystal Charity Ball funding will provide for the intensive therapy required after a cochlear device is surgically implanted, as well as for educational liaison services for profoundly deaf children and their families. The monies also will be used to develop Spanish-language educational materials and to assist with Callier's summer camp for children with cochlear implants, now in its eighth year.

"Crystal Charity Ball is proud to be partnered with the Callier Center in its exciting work to enhance the lives of profoundly deaf children through cochlear implants," said Louise Griffeth, chair of the 2003 Crystal Charity Ball. "Seeing the face of a child who has heard sound for the first time is truly a thrilling moment."

Dr. Ross J. Roeser, director of the Callier Center and professor of communication sciences and disorders at UTD, said he and the center staff were extremely grateful for the grant.

"Our appreciation is echoed tenfold by the grateful families of children who will experience the miracle of sound because of the generosity, dedication and vision of the Crystal Charity Ball."

About the Callier Center
Established in 1962, the Callier Center is nationally recognized for advances in the treatment and prevention of hearing, speech and language disorders that affect individuals of all ages, from infants to seniors. The center is part of UTD's School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and is located on Inwood Road in Dallas, adjacent to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, St. Paul University Hospital and Parkland Memorial Hospital. The center educates future clinicians and researchers, offers state-of-the-art clinical and educational services and conducts innovative research.

About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 13,000 students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's Web site at http://www.utdallas.edu.