Sunshine Fund Recipient Becomes Passionate Advocate

Kim Pombier doesn’t take a single sound for granted. After lifechanging ear surgery made possible by Sunshine Fund donors, she now speaks up as one of the fund’s strongest advocates.

Pombier, a loan assistant in the Atlanta region, began to lose her hearing around the age of 35 due to a hereditary condition called otosclerosis. Over the course of 10 years, abnormal bone growth in her middle ear reduced her hearing by 60%.

Birds chirping on a sunny day was a favorite sound she began to miss over time. She also felt left out of conversations at work and home. 

“I think it really affected my cognitive abilities, memory, and the ability to fully understand what was happening at times, especially in crowded rooms,” Pombier recalls. 

Pombier first thought the hearing loss was the result of her work in the Navy around jet engines. She later learned from her cousin and uncle that they had experienced the same condition, and surgery had restored what they lost. 

She applied to the Sunshine Fund in 2022 and received funding for two surgeries.

“The fact that SouthState has a fund to help employees is such a gift,” Pombier adds. “The opportunity to have surgery has enhanced my life more than I imagined."

How the Sunshine Fund Shined Through for Kim

Doctors were able to reverse Pombier’s hearing loss with a prosthetic middle ear bone. Without the surgery, she would have continued to lose sounds, leading to more confusion and frustration. 

Pombier says she could tell the difference in just a few days following the surgery and recalls feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the quality of sound until her senses readjusted. 

Thanks to the Sunshine Fund, Pombier’s world is joyfully noisy once again. She admits, however, that it took time for her to put herself first. 

“It’s difficult to ask for help, but I’m glad I did,” Pombier says. “Without the Sunshine Fund, I would have put off the surgery and maybe not even had it.”

Going Forward

Today, she can hear birdsong and her favorite 80s tunes loud and clear. Her day-to-day communication improved as well.

“I am more articulate, and I do not talk as loud either, so I am told,” she jokes.

When she’s not helping her co-workers or customers, Pombier is telling her story to bring awareness. She asks that others consider donating, no matter how small the amount. 

“As a recipient and a donor, the Sunshine Fund was lifechanging for me, and it can be for you, too,” she says.