DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) -- Pam Hollis originally made a "smile mask" for herself.
“I wear hearing aids, so I’m hearing impaired. so, it's really difficult for me when I’m at the grocery store, it's hard for me to understand what anyone is saying,” Hollis, the creator of the ‘smile masks', said.
Hollis’ friend, Kristyn Rasar, a medical speech pathologist in California, asked Hollis if she could make her a smile mask. Rasar works with patients who have hearing disabilities.
“The two categories that I have used (the clear face mask on) at the hospital are the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, as well as I had a patient that (has) verbal apraxia. They benefit from a lot of visual feedback and demonstrating how you round out your lips and how you stick out your tongue," Kristyn Rasar, a medical speech pathologist in California, said.
Ten pathologists across the United States have requested a mask from Hollis, and now the demand in central Illinois has taken off.
“Last week, someone local saw the post and within nine hours, I had 200 Facebook messages. I didn't realize the need was that great for our community, so it’s pretty wild,” Hollis said.
Knowing that her mask is going to help others brings Hollis so much joy.
“It feels so good. It literally makes my heart smile to help so many people who i don't know otherwise (know) what they would've done. A lady in Florida - her daughter has selective mutism - texted me a picture and said you changed my life and I was like 'gosh that's so exciting,'" Hollis said.
Anyone who wants Hollis to make a clear "smile mask" can message her on her personal Facebook page, at ‘Pam Hollis’.
