Limbaugh Donates $500,000 to House Ear Institute

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Premiere-syndicated talk host Rush Limbaugh has donated $500,000 to the House Ear Institute in memory of Dr. Antonio De la Cruz. The gift will help the House Ear Institute continue its mission of advancing hearing science through research and education to improve quality of life. De la Cruz died last July from complications of lymphoma at age 65.

"Rush Limbaugh's gift is a testament to the care and treatment Dr. De la Cruz showed to all of his patients," said House Ear Institute CEO Jim Boswell. "In honor of Dr. De la Cruz' memory, we are pleased to accept the donation to continue the research and education that meant so much to him during his 35 years as a physician at the House Clinic and director of education at the institute."

Mr. Limbaugh had known Dr. De la Cruz since 2001 when Limbaugh became his patient after experiencing sudden hearing loss. De la Cruz, along with another House Clinic physician, diagnosed Limbaugh with auto-immune inner ear disease (AIED).

After a period of treatment with medication in an effort to save his residual hearing, Limbaugh and the House Clinic physicians decided to proceed with a cochlear implant to help restore a sense of hearing.

Limbaugh recently told the Los Angeles Times, "Dr. De la Cruz literally saved my career and got me my life back with that surgery. I wouldn't have been able to continue my career. For a month before I had the implant surgery, I did my show totally deaf."