Most people rang in the New Year with celebrations and resolutions, but for the Spurgeon family, they celebrated the New Year with their daughter, Azariah, undergoing a grueling five-and-a-half-hour surgery to receive her second cochlear implant.

On Tuesday, Jan. 3, Azariah received the internal portion of her second cochlear implant at the East Tennessee Children's Hospital in Knoxville, approximately nine months after receiving her first cochlear implant. The second cochlear implant, which is placed in her right ear, will help add background noise and sound localization.

Azariah's mother, Whitney Spurgeon, explained that her daughter has a lot to celebrate for the New Year.

"In nine months, she has learned to sign almost 20 words," explained Whitney. "She is one lucky little girl, who has gone through so much for a one-year-old. Azariah has come so far with her first implant, and we are excited to see her progress with the second one."

For more details, please see the latest edition of the Newport Plain Talk.