A local elementary school in Colorado.

On Friday, November 9th, 2018, children and adults along with their families, teachers and schools, medical professionals, and many medical facilities and universities all embraced our third annual National Microtia Awareness Day all over the world!  Families everywhere were excited to raise awareness and help educate about Microtia and Atresia at schools through classroom presentations where children educated about their ears, hearing loss, and being kind and teaching about differences, enjoying cup cakes and treats.  So many children shared a newfound confidence where they got up in front of their classrooms and talked about their ears and their hearing loss (while wearing their Microtia Awareness Day t-shirts) and explained why having an awareness day was so important to them.  Adults who have Microtia and Atresia helped raise awareness in the work place by wearing their awareness wrist bands or Microtia t-shirts.  Medical professionals from Microtia and Atresia repair surgeons, pediatricians to ENTs, audiologists and dentists, all blogged about our special day on social media and hosted educational clinics for Microtia and Atresia families to attend where all options could be presented.  Our organization also received an outpouring of thank yous from families all over the world, being grateful for this special day to celebrate their children on.  Many wore our blue awareness ribbons and many also had fun creating their own drawings and wearing hand made ribbons and pins and stickers to celebrate the day!  So many families are happy to know that they are not alone with Microtia and Atresia.  Even families with newborns affected by Microtia and Atresia found hope and a sense of belongingness with everything being so new to them.  There were also a series of group gatherings that took place with Microtia and Atresia families coming together to celebrate on our special day.

The Seidman Labs Harvard genetics team w/Angela Tai and Barbara McDonough

Some of the medical facilities who embraced of our awareness day (as many offer Microtia and Atresia clinics, are conducting genetic research, or educate about Microtia and Atresia) were Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Seattle, Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s Hospital of Texas, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins, ReconstratA, Stanford University, the University of Michigan, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the NIH, the Gabriela Miller Kids First Foundation and the First Data Resource Center, the NIDCR and many government patient advocacy committees for rare causes, AudiologyOnline, HealthyHearing, SuccessForKidsWithHearingLoss, the Fundacion MicrotiaeHipoacusia in Chile and Audio Centro in Ecuador, just to name a few as I continue to receive more messages that continue to pour in.  Many hearing device companies and medical device companies such as Cochlear Americas, Med-EL, Medtronic, Oticon Medical, and Stryker CMF (the maker of Medpor) socially blogged about National Microtia Awareness Day, celebrating in their offices and educating employees more about hearing loss and Microtia.  Many amazing moments took place on this special day for families and individuals with Microtia and Atresia everywhere!  Professional artist, Priscila Soares (California) created a piece of art in the image of the Tumblin Family’s daughter, Ally, in a piece she calls “Ally is Looking Out for Microtia” which is amazing and beautiful in so many ways s Priscila creates 3D artwork of real people behind hearing loss!  Dr. David Zopf at the University of Michigan performed a rib graft Microtia repair surgery on the 9th and wore his blue awareness ribbon all day (see

The staff at the Vanderbilt Microtia and Atresia Clinic

photo below of him and his patient with his beautiful new ear).  Dr. Luis Serrano helped bring Microtia and Atresia families together at an educational event in Mexico!  Oticon Medical played educational video clips throughout the day in the office, helping educate the organization’s 500 employees in the US about Microtia and Atresia while each employee enjoyed a blue awareness day cupcake.  Oticon Medical Denmark released a beautiful video showing employees releasing blue and white balloons, embracing children and adults who have Microtia and Atresia, helping children and adults with Microtia and Atresia know that they have the potential to do and become anything in life.  Med-EL organized a radio clip on Sirius FM with NYU’s Dr. Sean McMenomey – the host of “Doctor Radio” where Microtia and Atresia was discussed along with talking about a conductive hearing loss.  A shout out to the Ear Community Organization went out at the end of the clip.  We even had country singer, Luke Bryan, wear our blue awareness band during his October 26th Detroit, MI concert after one of our support group members (Katie Davison) was attending his concert where she gave it to him and he put it on and wore it during the rest of the concert!

Hundreds of children and adults, along with their families, submitted pictures to online support groups in their National Microtia Awareness Day t-shirts and/or wearing blue and black, celebrating and helping promote awareness.  Many changed their online profile pictures to our Ear Community awareness ribbon.  Many also changed their Facebook profile pictures to the beautiful official Microtia Awareness profile frames/boarders on Facebook created by Ear Community support group members Megan Mitchell and Mark Johnson.  Our Microtia Awareness FB frames were used over 1,500 times!  Excitement about celebrations everywhere were blogged on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.  Not only did families celebrate in the US, but also from many countries all over….Canada, the Philippines, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Australia, Malaysia, Denmark, the UK, Poland, Ireland, China, Israel, Indonesia, New Zealand, Russia, Denmark, Germany, Facebook Global, Netherlands and Turkey and many others.   Many families from other countries have embraced November 9th as International Microtia Awareness Day!

November 9th is dedicated to spreading hope and knowledge concerning a congenital birth defect, which derives its name from the Latin terms for little ears.  Mark the calendar for Microtia Awareness Day for November 9th and think of the number 9 as the shape of an ear.  In an interview with AudiologyOnline, Tumblin was asked “Why was it so important to have a national awareness day created?  Tumblin stated, “It is the intention of Microtia Awareness Day to help promote public awareness.  As the mother of a child who has Microtia, and the founder of Ear Community, my hope is that families who have new babies born with Microtia will leave the hospital armed with more answers than questions, and their dreams for their children intact.  I think that if more people learn about Microtia and Atresia, that they will be kinder and more accepting.  It is also my intention for anyone who is born without an ear(s) to realize that they are not alone.  Through this national day, they can find out about organizations and resources for information and support.”  Since 2010, the Ear Community Organization has brought over 8,500 people together from around the world at the organization’s events making it possible to share experiences and resources. The community is made up of not only children and adults with Microtia and their families, but teachers, advocates, and medical professionals from around the world who foster awareness and assistance for this amazing group of people. Board members for Ear Community either have the condition themselves or a family member who does, so they have close personal experience with the obstacles from a myriad of perspectives.In a press release by, Melissa Tumblin, Founder of the Ear Community Organization, she explains that “Approximately one child in every 9,000 (in the United States) is born with Microtia (when the ear(s) do not fully develop during the 1st trimester of pregnancy).  Often affecting one ear or both ears, Microtia is diagnosed at birth, but there is no understanding as to why Microtia occurs. Facial challenges, hearing loss and the longing for social acceptance are some of the daily concerns for those who are born with Microtia.  “Children are born into this world not knowing they are any different from anyone else. Many with Microtia share similar stories of curious stares, bullying, or awkwardness.  Individual personalities, social conditioning, available treatments and bullying all impact how every child develops and copes as an adult.  By removing unnecessary boundaries and replacing them with resources, tools, and support, we can eliminate bullying and clear the way for an even more successful future.”

Oticon Medical Denmark awareness day video here (via Facebook).
Oticon Medical Denmark awareness day video here (via LinkedIn).

A thank you from the Founder of Ear Community, Melissa Tumblin:
“THANK YOU to everyone who embraced and participated in National Microtia Awareness Day this past Friday on November 9th! My heart is filled with so much love and joy, seeing the belongingness of so many families around the world who have been able to come together with children and adults who have Microtia and Atresia. From friends and family to surgeons, ENTs, audiologists, dentists, therapists and local businesses, to the medical device companies who help our children hear better and have the option for reconstructed ears, to the schools and teachers who enjoyed their students making presentations in the school classroom with a new found confidence in themselves, to families and medical professionals and the government organizations and universities who raised awareness all over the world for our beautiful children and adults who have Microtia and Atresia, promoting education, awareness, and kindness – Thank you! As Ally says, “everyone is beautiful!”

Here are some amazing memories from our 3rd Annual National Microtia Awareness Day!
See everyone next year!
Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

Estafany Martinez Hernandez, 8 years old of South Carolina, with her two newly donated Oticon Medical Ponto 3 Superpower hearing devices

Ear Community is thrilled to introduce you to Estefany Martinez Hernandez, an 8 year old little beauty who lives with her mother in South Carolina.  Earlier this year, Estefany moved to the United States from Honduras and has had an uphill battle ever since. Estefany was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia as well as a cleft palate (which has since been repaired).  Her first language is Spanish, and after moving to South Carolina, she was thrown into school where only English is spoken. She has struggled with the language barrier all without equal access to sound! Still, Estefany perseveres and is able to get access to language through her mother, they sit very close together and Estefany reads her mother’s lips.

In the Spring of 2018, Estefany’s situation was brought to the attention of Dr. Dorothy Saxon, who works with Estafany’s school district. Dr. Saxon had been to an Educational Audiology Association conference in Arizona where Melissa Tumblin presented about Microtia and Atresia as well as Ear Community.  Naturally, when Estefany walked into Dr. Saxon’s life, she immediately thought of Ear Community. Dr. Saxon reached out to Melissa and it quickly became apparent that Ear Community can and should help Estefany get access to sound.

After a unanimous vote from our Ear Community Board of Directors, Estefany was granted a donation of two brand new Oticon Medical Ponto 3 Superpower processors for her journey towards sound could begin!  It has been a long, and bumpy road – between finding interpreters for Estefany’s sweet mother who speaks only Spanish, and getting schedules to coincide so that the fitting could take place.  Amazingly, and just in time for National Microtia Awareness Day, Estefany received her two Oticon Medical Ponto 3 Superpower processors on November 7th.  Estefany absolutely loves her new devices, and some of her first words after having them fitted were, “Thank you for my new sound!”  

A very special thank you to Alan Raffauf, Vice President of Marketing and Operations for Oticon Medical US, for choosing to donate the new Oticon Medical Ponto 3 Superpower hearing devices to Ear Community so that they could be donated to Estefany to help her hear better from here on out. Thank you to Beverly Ostrowski, Director of Customer Service, with Oticon Medical for helping get Estefany’s hearing devices to her so quickly, and a very special thank you to Dr. Dorothy Saxon for her tireless efforts to help Estefany hear.  Thank you for everyone’s support and for helping Ear Community continue with its mission of helping individuals with Microtia and Atresia. Oticon Medical believes in helping individuals with hearing loss so that they can live a better quality of life. Oticon Medical is a well-respected international hearing device manufacturer that is a part of the “William Demant Group [which has] 100-plus years of experience in audiology and sound processing and established manufacturing and logistics infrastructure.”

We are so grateful to be a part of Estefany’s journey, and cannot wait to see all that she accomplishes now that she has access to sound.  Welcome to the United States, and welcome to the Ear Community family, we wish you all the very best from this world!
Thank you!
Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org 

National Microtia Awareness Day is on November 9th!

We look forward to helping raise awareness with so many of you everywhere on National Microtia Awareness Day!   The purpose of National Microtia Awareness Day is to help promote public awareness about Microtia and Atresia.  As the mother of a child who has Microtia and Atresia, and the founder of the Ear Community Organization, my hope is that families who have new babies born with Microtia and Atresia will leave the hospital armed with more answers than questions, and their dreams for their children intact.  If more people learn about Microtia and Atresia, they will be kinder and more accepting.  It is also my goal for individuals with Microtia and Atresia to realize that they are not alone and that they have an entire community of support behind them. Through this national day, everyone can find out about organizations and resources for information and support.

The 4 Grades-of-Microtia-and-Atresia

Microtia – born with one or both ears missing or when the outer ear does not fully develop

Aural Atresia – born without an ear canal or an underdeveloped ear canal, resulting in a conductive hearing loss

Approximately 500 babies are born each year with Microtia and Atresia in the United States (affecting 1 out of every 6,000 births).  Current statistics show that Latino-Hispanic, Ecuadorian, Asian, and Native American ethnicities are affected more by Microtia and Atresia where as individuals who are of African American descent are the least affected.  Most families who have a child with Microtia and Atresia have never known anyone else in their family to have missing ears or congenital hearing loss, while many other families have multiple family members who are affected by Microtia and Atresia causing us to wonder if Microtia and Atresia is hereditary.  It is more common for Microtia and Atresia to affect the right ear and occurs more commonly in males.  Microtia and Atresia can affect one or both ears and can cause asymmetry of the face (where one jaw bone pulls upright more so on one side) known as Hemifacial Microsomia.  Typically, children and adults who have Microtia and Atresia have some degree of hearing loss.  Children and adults who have Aural Atresia (hearing loss) can wear a hearing device called a bone conduction hearing device (also know as a Baha, BAHS, or BAI).  A bone conduction hearing device can be worn on a soft band head band (because there is usually no ear for a hearing device to be worn on) or can be implanted in the skull after the age of five.

Today, there are many options for helping someone obtain an ear who has Microtia and Atresia and who would like to live a better quality of life and be happier.
1.  The “Do Nothing” option should always be embraced with acceptance and confidence and love for oneself.  Also, to remember to never let anything define you.  Be YOU and be proud of who you are!
2.  There are surgical options for a reconstructed outer ear such as the rib graft surgical technique (which is the gold standard option) and different kinds of Polyethylene ear frame work options known as Medpor, Omnipore, and Su-Por.  There are also other avenues for ear reconstruction that can involve soft tissue reconstruction and ear expanders to help improve the shape of an ear.
3.  There are surgical options for helping restore hearing loss and reconstructing an ear canal called canalplasty and atresiaplasty.  this surgical technique can be done separately or in conjunction with a reconstructed outer ear (know as CAM – combined Atresia Microtia).
4.  There is the prosthetic ear option.  This option can help someone permanently wear an ear or be a great temporary solution until deciding upon surgery or to keep their little ear just the way it is.
5.  There is a hearing device option to help someone hear better who has Atresia called a bone conduction hearing device.  This hearing device can be worn on a soft band head band (since there is no ear to be worn on) or later be implanted in the skull for when the patient is ready.

The Microtia Awareness Ribbon

Here are some ideas for helping raise awareness on National Microtia Awareness Day, November 9th, 2018:

1. Many parents, teachers, and children plan to help raise awareness at their schools. There will be talks and presentations about hearing loss and Microtia and Atresia.  Many educators and parents will also be discussing differences and kindness.  Everyone has something going on and it makes everyone happy to feel included, or to have someone just say “Hi” to you instead of being stared at or being treated mean in one manner or another.  Many families plan to bring in sweet treats to the schools, such as cookies and cup cakes, to help embrace our awareness day and make it fun!
2. Many medical professionals (audiologists, ENTs, and plastic surgeons) will be hosting educational clinics and blogging helpful information about Microtia and Atresia for families to learn more about their options for Microtia and Atresia.
3. Many families, teachers, medical professionals, and supporters within the Microtia and Atresia community will be wearing awareness t-shirts, ribbons, and wrist bands, helping raise awareness about missing ears, hemifacial microsomia (craniofacial challenges), and hearing loss.
4. Many can participate in spreading awareness through social media by simply changing your profile picture to our awareness ribbon, logo, or FB frame to help recognize National Microtia Awareness Day on November 9th!   We look forward to seeing so many pictures posted of everyone in their shirts or wearing blue with our blue ribbons so we can all enjoy seeing how special our day is and the impact it has on the public (world) for so many of us who have loved ones born with Microtia and Atresia.  Let’s join together and make a difference with these beautiful children and adults and their families through the Ear Community Organization on our awareness day!
5. Many hearing loss networks such as AudiologyOnline, organizations like the EAA and ASHA, and medical device companies will be blogging about our National Microtia Awareness Day on social media in hopes of helping raise awareness about Microtia and Atresia, helping support our Ear Community Organization, and to help educate everyone about “all” options for missing and underdeveloped ears, hearing loss, and facial challenges and in hopes that everyone will be kinder and more understanding.

Thank you, thank you to everyone for embracing our awareness day and for supporting our children and adults who have Microtia and Atresia in our community.  Thank you to all of the families, classroom teachers and teachers of the D/HH, therapists, audiologists, ENTs, pediatricians and general practitioners, and plastic surgeons for helping educate on our day and for taking the time to learn more about Microtia and Atresia to help teach others.  Thank you to everyone who will be blogging on social media and publishing articles to helping raise awareness on November 9th!  Thank you very much to everyone who has helped support our Ear Community Organization and it’s mission to help children and adults who have Microtia and Atresia!

A special thank you to Ear Community’s amazing sponsors for also helping raise awareness about Microtia and hearing loss and for making our events possible and for offering advanced technology that helps our children and adults in many ways.  Thank you also to our sponsor companies and the employees who stand behind these companies and their technology that give our loved ones a better quality of life!

Thank you to Ear Community’s Platinum Sponsors:
Cochlear Americas (Baha 5 and SoundArc sound processor)
Oticon Medical (Ponto 3 Superpower and streamer)

Thank you to Ear Community’s Silver Sponsors:
Med-EL (ADHEAR and Bonebridge sound processors)
Stryker CMF (Medpor outer ear implants)

and to Medtronic (Alpha 2 MPO E+) sound processor

“Ally is looking out for Microtia” art piece created by professional artist, Priscila Soares, (California)

In recognition of National Microtia Awareness Day, The Ear Community Organization and the Tumblin Family is honored to discover that Priscila Soares, (a professional artist in California) has created a beautiful art piece of a little girl with Microtia and Atresia, named “Ally is looking out for Microtia” to represent the Tumblin’s daughter, Ally, and to represent children with Microtia and Atresia.

Artist, Priscila Soares, creates pieces of art that tell the stories of real people behind hearing loss. Last year (2017), Priscila discovered National Microtia Awareness Day and made this beautiful little girl to honor National Microtia Awareness Day. However, Priscila didn’t have a real child behind this piece of art. “When I publicized my work, Melissa Tumblin, the founder of the Ear Community Organization got in touch with me asking to share the video and photos of this piece with her community. Coincidentally, her organization is the one that established National Microtia Awareness Day. Since 2010, they helped thousands of children and adults who were born with Microtia and Atresia, and their families. They also hosted nearly 60 events all over the world, donated nearly 100 new bone conduction hearing devices, and awarded nearly 10 college scholarships. Melissa’s daughter Ally, was born with Microtia and Atresia and is considered the poster child for their organization. This year (2018), I decided to transform this piece to be inspired about Ally’s story and her mom’s touching mission to look out for all the ones who have Microtia/Atresia.

I changed the doll’s device to look just like the Ponto Plus Ally wears and instead of having a lady bug device like before, I created a Microtia Elf butterfly (that’s its real name, the Microtia butterfly) and have it be landed on her device, and re-shaped the ear to look like Ally’s ear (Grade III Microtia). It’s been a wonderful and touching experience to connect with such wonderful people.

Ally, I truly hope your path will transform the lives of many with your beauty and power.”

Here is the video of Priscila making this beautiful art piece and transforming it to resemble Ally:  https://youtu.be/EYu-Bj6CD74?t=3
Here is the link about Priscila’s reasons for creating this little girl after Ally:
https://myluckyears.com/2018/09/ally-is-looking-out-for-microtia/?fbclid=IwAR2YTJeQ1WmMMZPhwfmy5PASADL1cRwD2DEjU65xBK5Q6G72jwqKb6EQAaw

Here is the link to Priscila’s website: https://myluckyears.com/

Myles Tankersley, Mobile, Alabama, received Oticon Medical Ponto Plus on September 19th, 2018 through Ear Community.

Meet Myles Tankersley from Moblie, Alabama.  Myles is four years old and was born with Microtia and Atresia of his right ear.  Recently, Myles’ mom, Britney Tankersley, began to question why her son wasn’t speaking as much and noticed that Myles had some delays in his speech.  Since birth, Myles has been to all of the right doctors for check-ups, but no one seemed to show any concern about his hearing loss or mention that unilateral hearing loss may cause some challenges for Myles down the road.  In fact, no one diagnosed her son as having Microtia and Atresia all these years.  Just during the past month (September), Britney and her husband recently discovered that Myles has Microtia and Atresia and that he is struggling to speak and hear because of his hearing loss.

Since learning more about Myles and doing some research, Britney and her husband found out about the Ear Community Organization through another Microtia family online who knew about Ear Community.  Originally, Britney was looking for a hearing device for Myles after struggling to request a hearing device through their audiologist and hitting road blocks with obtaining insurance approval.  To Britney’s surprise, she not only was able to obtain an Oticon Medical Ponto Plus hearing device for Myles through Ear Community, but she also discovered a gold mine of information for her son including information for school and about how additional hearing device technology (such as an FM system) can help him while at school along with services such as FREE speech therapy.  Britney shared that, “My husband & I didn’t sleep at all last night. You are such a wealth of knowledge & breath of fresh air. Your kindness is an answer to our prayers & we cannot say thank you enough. Dead end after dead end then in 1 conversation it finally starts to all make sense.  We are so excited that our baby boy will finally get a chance at “normal” hearing- thanks to you! We just wanted to say thank you again. ♥️”  Britney’s son, Myles, received his Oticon Medical Ponto Plus hearing device w/streamer through Ear Community on Wednesday, September 19th, 2018.  Since turning on his Ponto, Myles hasn’t stopped smiling and talking!  Britney says “I can tell already that he is hearing waaay better. We can’t thank you enough!”

Myles would not have been able to obtain his new Ponto Plus from Oticon Medical and Ear Community without Britney advocating for her son.  In addition, many people are often involved in helping make things happen.  Thank you to Beverly Ostrowski (Customer Service Manager) of Oticon Medical for helping find an audiologist to help program Myles’ new Ponto.  A special thank you to Dr. Paul Gaudiano (Oticon Medical audiologist) for finding the time to donate his time and services to program Myles’ new Ponto in between travel for work.  Together, everyone was able to help Myles hear better since birth.  A very special thank you to Alan Raffauf, Vice President of Marketing and Operations for Oticon Medical US, for choosing to donate the new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus hearing device w/streamer to Ear Community so that our organization could help Myles hear better.  Thank you for everyone’s support and for helping Ear Community continue with its mission of helping individuals with Microtia and Atresia. Oticon Medical believes in helping individuals with hearing loss so that they can live a better quality of life.  Oticon Medical believes in helping individuals with hearing loss so that they can live a better quality of life. Oticon Medical is a well respected international hearing device manufacturer that is a part of the “William Demant Group with 100-plus years of experience in audiology and sound processing and established manufacturing and logistics infrastructure.”

Thank you again to everyone who was involved in helping change Myles’ life!  We are excited for Myles to start talking more and hearing better.   We are also excited to hear how much your speech improves now that you have some help through speech therapy!
– Congratulations from all of us at Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

Rachel Ciarkowski of St. Louis, Missouri, 9th college scholarship recipient through Ear Community (fall 2018)

Ear Community is pleased to introduce Rachel Ciarkowski. Rachel is a first-year student in Physical Therapy at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Rachel was born with Microtia and Atresia of her left ear. She has not had reconstructive surgery and is unaided.  Rachel enjoys challenging herself and believes in living the dream. When she was only fifteen years old she suffered a debilitating sports injury while playing soccer. While most teenagers are looking forward to driving a car for the first time, Rachel focused all of her energies on healing her body.  This grit and determination has defined her life and willingness to overcome obstacles to reach her goals. Rachel applied to Ear Community and was named one of Ear Community’s college scholarship recipients and was awarded a scholarship that could help her complete her doctorate degree.

Rachel plans to graduate with her doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2021 and focus on pediatrics.  She has spent countless hours working with children and over the past four years she has worked as a camp counselor and team leader at a sports camp for children.  She also has spent much of her time volunteering with children with disabilities through fun and engaging sports activities. “Ear Community recognizes the importance of achieving a higher education and believes in supporting teens and young adults who wish to carry out their dreams by earning their college degree.” states Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community. Whenever funds are available, Ear Community is always proud to help individuals who have Microtia and Atresia with their education.” says Melissa Tumblin.

Rachel has worked tirelessly in college to get to the point she has.  She has worked through the frustrations of missing material in noisy lecture halls at school but has never let her being hard of hearing hold her back from achieving her goals.  Ear Community is proud to have been able to help Rachel by awarding her a college scholarship for $750.00 (USD). Rachel was awarded her Ear Community scholarship just in time for her first semester of her Physical Therapy program this fall. All of us at Ear Community wish you the best of luck with your education and your dream Rachel.

We are so proud of you Rachel!
Thank you,
Ear Community Board Members and
Ear Community Founder, Melissa Tumblin
www.EarCommunity.org

Pictured from left to right: Melissa Tumblin (Ear Community), Dr. Sandra Gabbard (President and CEO of the Marion Downs Center), and Kathy Rawls (4th year audiology student).

On September 11th, 2018, Ear Community Founder, Melissa Tumblin, traveled to the Marion Downs Center in Denver to visit with Dr. Sandra Gabbard (audiologist and President/CEO of the Marion Downs Center) to donate (4) gently used hearing devices to help needy children and adults hear better. (2 bone conduction hearing devices, 1 cochlear implant, and 1 traditional hearing device). Our organization looks forward to publishing the stories of when these hearing devices find their new homes!

The Marion Downs Center helps provide services to the needy and to the general public who have hearing loss.  The two organizations, together, are excited to collaborate and help more children and adults hear better with the help of providing services and donated hearing devices to those in need.

BIG NEWS for our Ear Community Organization and the Microtia and Atresia community – Genetic research….here we come!

On August 30th, 2018, the Ear Community Organization received amazing news from Dr. Jon Seidman of Harvard University and of Seidman Labs (at Harvard), that the grant application that was submitted to conduct genetic research on Microtia and Atresia in Hispanic populations was accepted through the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program.  Investigator, Dr. Jon Seidman (Harvard University), along with Co-Investigators Dr. Roland Eavey (Vanderbilt University) and Melissa Tumblin of the Ear Community Organization, had applied for a couple of grants regarding conducting research in hopes of helping further discover why Microtia and Atresia may happen.  Finally, a grant has been approved to help with further research.

Drs. Jon Seidman and Roland Eavey have been conducting research on Microtia and Atresia over the past three decades.  We are hopeful that this grant through the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program will help provide the opportunity to take a closer look at any genes that may be in common to causing Microtia and Atresia.  Below is the message we received from GMKF:
_________________________________________________  
“Congratulations! Your X01 application for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) titled, “The Genetics of Microtia in Hispanic Populations” has been selected to go forward, as part of the 2018 sequencing pipeline. The program will support the sequencing of approximately 400 samples from your cohort.