Randy Murray, age 65, born with Bilateral Microtia and Atresia proudly wearing his two new Cochlear Americas Baha 4 sound processors.

Meet Randy Murray, a 65 year old from Michigan City, Indiana who was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia.  Randy has struggled most of his life with his hearing loss due to atresia (absence of ear canals).  Over the years, as he has gotten older, Randy’s hearing has begun degrading, causing him to struggle even more at work and in social situations.  Randy applied for a bone anchored hearing device through his insurance, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, but his request for a hearing device was denied.  Randy did continue to appeal with his insurance provider and his appeal was denied as well, stating that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield “cannot say that [a Baha] is medically necessary for him at this time”….even though Randy has severe hearing loss in both of his ears.

Randy works as an assistant manager at a grocery store where he has been employed for forty eight years.  He is beginning to struggle with hearing his customers and his staff, while at the same time Randy says “if I do not get some kind of hearing aid, I will have to quit my job and be financially ruined.”  Randy’s wife, Diane, says that she really worries about him…“We cannot afford to purchase a hearing device out of pocket.”  Additionally, Randy says, “We cannot afford for me to not be working at this time either.”

While trying to figure out what to do for his hearing loss, Randy did visit with his audiologist, Dr. Steffanie Webber of the Franciscan Physician Network at Coolspring Health Center, to see what hearing devices are currently available.  Dr. Webber suggested that Randy try the Cochlear Baha 3 and when Randy did try on the Baha 3, he said “I was surprised at how much I could hear!”  “I heard her set her pen down on the desk and I have never heard that before.”  As you can imagine, after being denied by their insurance provider for the coverage of a Baha 3, Randy and his wife Diane were at a loss and were worried about Randy’s future, their future.

Luckily, Randy and Diane found the Ear Community Organization and applied for a hearing device for Randy.  “I do not want to lose my hearing and not be able to continue my lifestyle as it has been and lose my hearing completely without a hearing device to help me,” said Randy.  Both, Ear Community and Cochlear Americas believe in helping individuals hear better, especially if they have a severe hearing loss in both ears and are currently struggling with their hearing loss.  When Ear Community received Randy’s application, “Our board wanted to help Randy hear better so he would be able to keep up his lifestyle and keep his job,” said Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community.  Melissa explains that “a hearing loss is often an invisible disability and the public forgets how much of a struggle it is to function in everyday life without hearing…such as simply going to work and carrying on conversations with coworkers and customers.”  “We absolutely wanted to help Randy continue living his life by hearing everything in it and being happier.”

On September 25^th, 2014, Randy was fitted with two newly donated Cochlear Americas Baha 4 bone conduction hearing devices.  Dr. Steffanie Webber was happy to donate her time and services to help fit Randy with his new processors and program them for him.  Randy’s wife, Diane, is excited to start using the lapel microphone so she can carry on a conversation with Randy better throughout the house.  “It will make both of us much happier,” Diane said.

Ear Community is a nonprofit organization that helps the Microtia and Atresia community worldwide. Ear Community is so very thankful for the help that it receives and when other organizations come together to help Ear Community with its mission, to help children and adults born with Microtia and Atresia. “Thank you to Cochlear Americas for helping Randy live a better quality of life by donating two new Baha 4 processors so he can hear better at work, helping provide the customer service his customers expect from him and continue working his job” says Melissa Tumblin.

Ear Community would especially like to thank Kerri Lewandowski and Joanne Kernie of Cochlear Americas for donating two new Baha 4 processors to our foundation so Ear Community could help Randy hear better. “Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to those with hearing loss in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions. In 2013, Cochlear celebrates 100,000 Baha System users – all with unique stories of how being able to hear again has impacted their lives. The Cochlear promise of “Hear Now. And Always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives.”

From all of us at Ear Community…Randy, we hope you continue working for many more years to come, helping your customers the way you like to!

Thank you!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
and
Ear Community Board of Director members
www.EarCommunity.org

Derek Dwyer, age 22, Bilateral Microtia and Atresia wearing his new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus system.

Meet Derek Dwyer, a 22 year old from Snellville, Georgia, currently attending Gwinnett Technical College. Derek was born with Nager Syndrome and bilateral Microtia and Atresia and is the youngest of three siblings. Derek loves music and all things computer related since he is working toward a college degree in computer engineering and graphic design. Derek’s parents never treated him any differently from his other two siblings (brother Devin Dwyer and older sister, Kelley Dwyer). However, Derek’s mom, Lynda Dwyer, has been concerned about his hearing loss over the years and was worried about Derek being social with friends and being able to hear well enough in school and in college.  While he has managed to get by, Derek does struggle with interpersonal communication and his family had hoped that his social circle would expand with his entrance to college. However, this has not yet happened for Derek and his family believes it may be partially due to the lack of confidence with his own voice, and his ability to participate in conversations and hear well in all situations. Derek’s sister, Kelley, says “Derek has been my biggest inspiration in life…he defies the expectations of a special needs person and knows no boundaries to his capabilities.” Derek lives in an apartment with his brother, Devin, and his roommates carrying on just like any college student would.

In May of this year (2014), Kelley graduated with her doctorate in Audiology and is currently a pediatric audiologist at Pediatric ENT of Atlanta in Georgia. Dr. Kelley Dwyer has waited her whole life to help her brother hear better and now that she is his audiologist for life, she finally gets the chance to do so. Dr. Dwyer has watched her brother struggle over the years and when growing up, her family didn’t always have the money to purchase hearing devices for him. Dr. Dwyer wants Derek to just feel comfortable everyday when being a part of social conversations. Dr. Dwyer says, “Derek never asks for anything, so I am going to ask for him.” She wanted him to adjust better to college when going back this fall. She says, “As a college student, I do not want him to struggle to hear the lecture content, when the content itself may be very difficult.”

Derek Dwyer and his family: (from the left: Dr. Kelley Dwyer (Derek’s sister), Derek Dwyer, Devin Dwyer (Derek’s big brother), and Lynda Dwyer (Derek’s Mom), at his fitting for his new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus system.

Dr. Kelley Dwyer found Ear Community (a 501c3 nonprofit organization) and decided to apply on behalf of Derek. On September 19^th, 2014, Dr. Dwyer fitted her brother with two new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus processors w/streamer.  This was an exciting day for not only Derek, but for his family too! Joining Derek in his fitting were his older brother Devin, and their mom, Lynda. Derek’s sister, Kelley, was proud to fit him with his new Oticon Medical processors and streamer knowing that this will change his life forever and help him excel in college and in life. “My family really appreciates all that Ear Community has done and specifically the work the organization does for individuals born with Microtia and Atresia and for the hearing loss community,” says Dr. Dwyer. Dr. Dwyer stated that, “Derek LOVES the processors and the streamer! We will likely get him the remote mic for Christmas that he can use during his college lectures. I really feel that this will make a big difference in his social and school capabilities.” “Ear Community is happy to have been able to help Derek hear better,” says Melissa Tumblin, Founder of Ear Community. “No adult or child should ever have to struggle with learning in school, says Melissa. “It’s important for Ear Community to help individuals like Derek. We have so many bright individuals in our world and to find out when someone is struggling with their hearing is very disappointing. Individuals like Derek can be so much more if they are only given the opportunity to hear better with a hearing device…it can be life changing.” says Melissa Tumblin.

Thank you Dr. Dwyer, for not only applying to Ear Community for Derek to obtain a hearing device, but also for donating your time and services to program his new processors.  Ear Community wishes to also say a very special thank you to Alan Raffauf, Vice President of Marketing of Oticon Medical, for donating these hearing devices to Ear Community so that the foundation could help Derek. Thank you Alan, for helping Dr. Dwyer follow her dream as an audiologist by helping her brother hear better with Oticon Medical processors. Thank you for your support and for helping Ear Community continue with its mission of helping the Microtia and Atresia community. While the Ear Community organization is proud to have donated Derek’s new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus System, none of this would have been possible without Oticon Medical donating this amazing hearing device to Ear Community to begin with. 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.”

Derek, all of us here at Ear Community are so proud of you and we know that you will become an amazing technical professional when you earn your college degree. For now, enjoy your new ears and enjoy college. Congrats on hearing better and in building your self confidence.

Thank you,
Melissa Tumblin
Founder of Ear Community
and
Ear Community Board Members
www.EarCommunity.org

Ava Katuszonek, 3 years old, RMA, West Virginia, USA, wearing her new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus processor.

Meet Ava Katuszonek, an adorable little three year old girl who was born with Microtia and Atresia of her right ear. Ava is a very happy little girl who enjoys playing with friends and is excited to learn the alphabet and begin reading. However, when Ava was about one year old, her mom, Shannon, began noticing her struggling with her hearing. Ava wasn’t always responding to Shannon’s voice when she would call for her. Two years ago, Ava and her parents, Paul and Shannon, attended an Ear Community Microtia and Atresia picnic in Pleasanton, California where they were given the opportunity to learn more about bone conduction hearing devices. Ava’s parents tried to obtain a BAHA for little Ava as soon as they could, but their insurance plan under Kaiser Permanente denied their coverage for a BAHA. Ava’s mother, Shannon, also did not realize there were many options available on the market for BAHAs. Now knowing this information, Ava’s parents continued appealing with their insurance provider in order to help Ava hear better with a BAHA.

Shortly after attending our Ear Community picnic in California (two years ago), Ava lost her father in a car accident. As you can imagine, this tragic loss devastated Ava and her entire family. “I remember receiving a call from Ava’s mother, Shannon, asking me if I had a picture that I had taken of the three of them at the picnic and if she could have a copy because she wanted to keep some recent memories of Paul,” said Melissa Tumblin, Founder of Ear Community. Although Shannon and Ava were able to receive temporary insurance coverage, the insurance coverage they had through this provider also did not provide coverage for a BAHA. “It has been very frustrating and challenging trying to obtain a BAHA for Ava,” says Shannon. Recently, Shannon and Ava moved to West Virginia and were able to find insurance coverage for their family again, but still no coverage for a BAHA for little Ava.

Shannon decided to apply to the Ear Community Organization for help obtaining a BAHA for Ava. On September 20, 2014, Ava was fitted with her new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus system. Shannon says, Ava just loves it and thinks it is so exciting and something special. Thank you to Dr. Regina Talbert in Bluefield, Virginia for helping program and fit Ava with her new processor. Thank you also to Lindzee Nunez Weeks of Oticon Medical for helping make sure Dr. Talbert had everything she needed for little Ava’s fitting!

“Sometimes I like to think someone is looking out for us, says Melissa Tumblin of Ear Community… and maybe that someone in Ava’s case was her father, Paul.” The Ear Community Organization is so very happy to have been able to help little Ava obtain a new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus system so she can hear everything clearly, everyday of her life. “Shannon has become an amazing friend of mine since meeting her, Paul, and Ava just two years ago. Shannon’s family not only enjoys giving back to the community when they can, but over the past couple of years, Shannon and her family have shown their support to Ear Community by choosing to donate to our organization. Just this past June, Shannon also hosted our Ear Community Pleasanton, CA picnic.” says Melissa Tumblin. Shannon says “It was an absolute honor to host the 2014 Ear Community picnic and something that I have wanted to do to help give back to the community and to an organization that has helped me and my family directly.”

Ear Community wishes to say a very special thank you to Alan Raffauf, Vice President of Marketing of Oticon Medical, for donating this hearing device to Ear Community so that the foundation could help Ava. Thank you for your support and for helping Ear Community continue with its mission of helping the Microtia and Atresia community. While the Ear Community organization is proud to have donated Ava’s new Oticon Medical Ponto Plus System and soft band head band, none of this would have been possible without Oticon Medical donating this amazing hearing device to Ear Community to begin with. 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 all so happy for you Ava! Hoping you have the brightest future from this day forward!

Thank you!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
and
Ear Community Board of Director Members

Dustin Neerhof proudly wearing his new Cochlear Americas Baha 4 processor, LMA, Goldenhar Syndrome

Meet Dustin Neerhof, a sweet little nine month old baby boy who was born with Microtia and Atresia of his left ear and hemifacial microsomia (diagnosed as having Goldenhar Syndrome). Dustin is a happy little boy who enjoys cooing and babbling with his identical twin brother and the two are quite the cute duo! Dustin just loves being cuddled by his parents and enjoys learning something new each day, but Dustin is having trouble hearing his parents voices because of being born with Atresia.

Dustin’s mom, Jaalah, says “the name Dustin means Valiant Fighter and Dustin has lived up to his name. He has had a very difficult start to his life being in and out of hospitals and emergency rooms having undergone five surgeries to date.” At first, Dustin was struggling with severe reflux and aspiration and had his first surgery when he was under two months of age for anti-reflux surgery Fundoplication and Gastrostomy Tube surgery. Dustin has been dependent on his feeding tube for his nutrition since this surgery. In addition to Dustin’s reflux concerns and feeding tube, he also had life threatening obstructive apnea and it was discovered that he was choking on his tongue, due to his jaw being misaligned from having hemifacial microsomia, which was interfering with his breathing. Dustin was dependent on a CPAP machine for three weeks of his life while living in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit. Dustin’s parents found themselves faced with a difficult decision to choose either a tracheostomy or an invasive mandibular jaw distraction to lengthen his jaw. After much thought and discussions with multiple medical professionals, Dustin’s parents chose the jaw extension surgery. The surgery was successful and little Dustin was finally released from the hospital in April of this year and has been home since.

Now, that Jaahlah can focus on Dustin’s hearing loss a bit more, she realizes that he isn’t hearing everything and is very concerned that he will be missing out on many sounds. She is worried that he will struggle with his hearing as he gets older, especially with his vocabulary soon to develop. Unfortunately, the family’s insurance plan through Humana does not have any coverage included for hearing devices or hearing tests. Jaalah has been so busy with the twins, Dustin’s well being, and medical bills, that she has not yet been able to return back to work, now relying on her husband as their only source of income. Thankfully, Jaahlah found out about Ear Community through their audiologist, Dr. Katie Zawistowski at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and Cochlear representative, Wendy Fuller. Ear Community’s Founder, Melissa Tumblin says “When we received Jaalah’s hearing device application for Dustin, our board members immediately wanted to help him with a Baha 4 from Cochlear Americas! This family has been through a lot and aside from all that little Dustin has endured, it is so important that he be given the help and opportunity to hear right away.”

Dustin’s fitting: (left to right) Dr. Katie Zawistowski of Children’s Hospital Colorado, Wendy Fuller of Cochlear Americas, and Dustin with his happy mom, Jaalah Neerhof.

On September 10^th, 2014, Dustin was fitted with his new Cochlear Baha 4 sound processor with soft band head band. A special thank you to Dr. Katie Zawistowski at the Bill Daniels Center for Children’s Hearing for Children’s Hospital Colorado for programming and fitting Dustin’s new Cochlear Baha 4 processor. Thank you also to Wendy Fuller of Cochlear Americas for being with Dustin and his family on his special day when receiving his Baha 4! Together, both of you helped make this family’s day not only exciting, but you helped them by putting them at ease and by being there for them because of your commitment to help a child hear. “Thank you for doing what you do for the children and adults just like Dustin, says Melissa Tumblin…these are the happiest moments when organizations like Ear Community, Cochlear Americas, and Children’s Hospitals look forward to, appreciate, and enjoy.” Thank you for coming together to help little Dustin hear better!

Ear Community is a nonprofit organization that helps the Microtia and Atresia community worldwide. Ear Community is so very thankful for the help that it receives and when other organizations come together to help Ear Community with its mission, to help children and adults born with Microtia and Atresia. “Thank you to Cochlear Americas for helping little Dustin hear better and for donating a new Baha 4 processor to him so he can hear easier as his vocabulary begins developing,” says Melissa Tumblin.

Ear Community would especially like to thank Kerri Lewandowski and Joanne Kernie of Cochlear Americas for donating a new Baha 4 to our foundation so our foundation could help another child like Dustin hear better. “Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to those with hearing loss in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions. In 2013, Cochlear celebrates 100,000 Baha System users – all with unique stories of how being able to hear again has impacted their lives. The Cochlear promise of “Hear Now. And Always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives.”

Hoping this will help make your life more enjoyable and full of sounds Dustin! Enjoy your new Cochlear Baha 4! All of us here at Ear Community are so happy for you!

Thank you,
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

Eliana Villanueva, 3 years old, RMA, wearing her newly donated Cochlear Americas Baha 4 processor!

Meet Eliana Villanueva, a beautiful three year old little girl who was born with Microtia and Atresia of her right ear who lives in Riverbank, California. Eliana enjoys playing with her older brother and sister (Joey and Samantha) and is proud to be a mama’s girl, says her mother, Veronica. Eliana is also a very kind and loving child who just loves playing with her younger cousins.

Two years ago, Eliana’s parents, Veronica and Santiago, found Ear Community and had attended the organization’s picnic for Microtia and Atresia families in Pleasanton, CA. While at the Ear Community picnic, Eliana had the chance to try on a BAHA for the first time, but Eliana was too young to express what she thought about the BAHA at the time. However, Eliana’s mother says that “she knew the hearing device was working when it was on Eliana because her eyes got glossy and it looked like she wanted to cry.” Over the next couple of years as Eliana’s vocabulary developed, Santiago and Veronica decided that Eliana may now be ready for a BAHA as they could see her struggle lately with her hearing. When Santiago and Veronica heard that an Ear Community picnic was coming back to Pleasanton, CA again this summer (2014), they knew they had to take Eliana again because she was now old enough to express verbally what she would think about trying on a BAHA. When Veronica and Eliana arrived at the Ear Community picnic, they went straight to the table and stood in line to put a BAHA on. Veronica says “Eliana’s reaction was priceless! I asked her if she could hear and she said yes. Was it loud or was it perfect and Eliana said it was perfect.” This was the moment when Veroinica knew they had to try again to get Eliana a soft band BAHA. When Eliana got home, she told her father, Santiago, all about the “noise maker” that she had on her head and how much she wanted one.

During the past year, Eliana’s parents had inquired about the Cochlear Baha 4 through their audiologist. Unfortunately, the family was denied insurance coverage for the device and the cost of a Baha was beyond what the family could afford. They were encouraged to apply again through the appeals process and were still denied by Kaiser. Veronica decided to apply to Ear Community for help on behalf of little Eliana. On August, 28^th, Eliana was fitted with a new Cochlear Baha 4 processor. On the way driving to the audiology office, Veronica said that Eliana kept singing a song in the car on the way “I’m gonna get my hearing aid, I’m gonna get my hearing aid.” It was a joyous day for Eliana and her whole family!

Since Ear Community was able to help Eliana obtain a hearing device, Veronica and Santiago have become supporters to Ear Community. As part of a thank you to the Ear Community Organization, Santiago (Eliana’s father) took the ice bucket challenge, but decided to make their donation to Ear Community, for children and adults born with Microtia and Atresia. Ear Community Founder and Executive Director, Melissa Tumblin, thanks the Villanueva family for giving back to the Microtia and Atresia community through Ear Community. “We are so very happy that we could help little Eliana hear better and that you were able to learn about a BAHA through our family events,” says Melissa.  Here is the link to the video of Eliana singing in the car about getting her Baha 4!  https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4780912217443&set=vb.1734811718&type=2&theater

Ear Community is a nonprofit organization that helps the Microtia and Atresia community worldwide. Ear Community is so very thankful for the help that it receives and when other organizations come together to help Ear Community with its mission, to help children and adults born with Microtia and Atresia. Thank you to Cochlear Americas for helping little Eliana hear better and for donating a new Baha 4 processor to her so she can thrive in school,” says Melissa Tumblin.

A special thank you to Dr. Jennifer Hayes and Dr. Marilyn Dixon-Brown, both audiologists of Kaiser Permanente for volunteering their time and services to program Eliana’s new Cochlear Baha 4 processor.

Ear Community would especially like to thank Kerri Lewandowski and Joanne Kernie of Cochlear Americas for donating a new Baha 4 to our foundation so our foundation could help another child like Eliana hear better. “Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to those with hearing loss in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions. In 2013, Cochlear celebrates 100,000 Baha System users – all with unique stories of how being able to hear again has impacted their lives. The Cochlear promise of “Hear Now. And Always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives.”

Here’s to hearing everything a child should hear Eliana! Enjoy your new Cochlear Baha 4!  All of us here at Ear Community are so happy for you!

Thank you,
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community

Ivy Welsh, Ear Community financial assistance award recipient, May 17, 2014

Ear Community is proud to have been able to help Ivy Welsh get to Los Angeles, CA so she could have surgery for a newly reconstructed Medpor ear on May 17th, 2014.  This was Ivy Welsh’s second surgery after living with a previously botched reconstructed ear from over seven years ago.  This was her second chance to receive a successful reconstructed ear.  We are so happy that Ear Community was able to help you Ivy!  Good luck with everything and keep us posted on your new ear so we can see how things are going!

So happy for you,
Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

Milargro Alfaro, RMA, Cochlear Baha 4 recipient on March 5th, 2014

Meet little Milagro Alfaro who was born with Microtia and Atresia of her right ear. Milagro is four years old and also has Goldenhar Syndrome along with additional medical issues. Even though Milagro has better hearing in her left ear, she has struggled with chronic middle ear fluid that has impacted that ear’s access to sound, affecting annunciation and pronouncing vocabulary/language. Milagro’s family quickly realized she was struggling with her hearing when they tried teaching her Spanish. They noticed that she had difficulty learning Spanish and that she needed to be “taught” vocabulary and how to use language since it did not come naturally for her. In fact, Milagro has had little success learning English despite receiving speech and language services 2 times a week from the public school system. As a result, Milagro has been moved to a much more intensive program in the Deaf/Hard of Hearing preschool in hopes of meeting her needs better.

Recently, Milagro was given the opportunity to trial a Baha on a soft band to see if it would help her hear better. During this trial, Milagro’s family was amazed at how much she improved with her communication and desire to interact with others. She became more alert and excited to be around others. Unfortunately, Maryland Medical Assistance did not offer coverage for a Baha for little Milagro under the age of five, which are the years of critical development for speech and language skills. Milagro’s audiologists and family were very concerned that she was missing crucial time in her window of learning without having a Baha, especially after witnessing her struggle over the years already. Dr. Robyn Miller and Joan LaCoss researched helpful resources that could help little Milagro and found Ear Community. Little Malagro received a new Cochlear Baha 4 through Ear Community and was fitted on March 5^th, 2014. Today, Milagro is already showing improvement and speaking more and she is looking forward to returning to school this fall to learn and experience what she has been missing out on now that she can hear better.

Ear Community is a nonprofit organization that helps the Microtia and Atresia community. Ear Community is so very thankful for the help that it receives and when other organizations come together to help Ear Community with its mission, to help children and adults born with Microtia and Atresia. “It is always something special to witness a child be given the gift of hearing,” says Melissa Tumblin, Founder of Ear Community. “Without the technology behind hearing devices and the support from hearing device companies like Cochlear Americas, children like Milagro would never be given the chance to hear better and experience life the way it was meant to be intended. Thank you to Cochlear Americas for helping little Milagro hear better and for donating a new Baha 4 processor to her so she can thrive in school,” says Melissa Tumblin.

A special thank you to Dr. Robyn Miller (educational audiologist) of Montgomery County Public Schools for helping Milagro’s family apply for a hearing device for her. Also, a very special thank you to Joan LaCoss of Children’s National Medical Center, who is Milagro’s clinical audiologist, for volunteering her time and services to program Milagro’s new Cochlear Baha 4 processor.

Ear Community would especially like to thank Kerri Lewandowski and Joanne Kernie of Cochlear Americas for donating a new Baha 4 to our foundation (which is a newer model processor that just recently launched a couple of months ago) so our foundation was able to help another child with hearing loss like Milagro. “Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to those with hearing loss in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions. In 2013, Cochlear celebrates 100,000 Baha System users – all with unique stories of how being able to hear again has impacted their lives. The Cochlear promise of “Hear Now. And Always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives.”

From all of us at Ear Community, thank you to everyone who was involved with helping Milagro hear better and helping her to thrive with her speech and language skills from here on out!

Melissa Tumblin
Founder of Ear Community
and
Ear Community Board Members

www.EarCommunity.org

Oticon Medical has entered into a partnership with Bo Håkansson, PhD, Professor at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, for the future commercialization of the active transcutaneous Bone Conduction Implant (BCI). Prof. Håkansson is the inventor of the first bone anchored hearing aid and is one of the pioneers in direct bone conduction hearing systems with more than 30 years of experience. In recent years, Prof. Håkansson has focused his work in the area of active transcutaneous solutions. The Oticon Medical team will collaborate with Prof. Håkansson to combine his groundbreaking research and optimization of an active transcutaneous solution with the innovative audiology, signal processing and wireless capabilities of the Oticon Medical Ponto System.

Additional information about the partnership and technology can be viewed at the following video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSJ1PxdGvBQ

 Extending our commitment to direct bone conduction

The new project is a natural extension of the Oticon Medical commitment to direct bone conduction systems that improve patient outcomes. The BCI concept transfers sound signals to the implanted transducer through a wireless link. The concept provides bone conduction via direct drive, similar to the way the Ponto System does today. The placement of the BCI vibrator in direct contact with the mastoid bone ensures that patients no longer have to accept the inherent disadvantages of current passive transcutaneous solutions that function via skin drive, including degradation of sound quality, limited output power, potential skin issues, and a cosmetically unfavorable and bulky external part when wearing the sound processor.

“Oticon Medical is committed to remaining at the forefront of advances in patient-centered solutions that provide quality of life benefits and extend the potential for treatment and successful outcomes,” says Oticon Medical President Jes Olsen. “We will build on Prof. Håkansson’s leading-edge work with the proven strengths of our Ponto System including the powerful and efficient Inium signal processing platform and wireless capabilities. We believe that only direct bone conduction drive, such as that provided by the BCI and our Ponto System, can deliver the desired performance in sound that patients and professionals demand.”

Using the BEST transducer

The new project will use the proprietary BEST transducer (Balanced Electromagnetic Separation Transducer) that is less than half the size of transducers found in comparable products. The BEST transducer provides the highest efficiency and smallest volume, making surgery straightforward and the anatomical coverage high.

“I look very much forward to the cooperation with Oticon Medical and the teams in Gothenburg, Copenhagen and Nice that were instrumental in bringing the Ponto System to market. Their commitment to develop solutions for better patient outcomes and Oticon Medical’s global distribution structure and financial strength will certainly fuel the future industrialization and commercialization of this BCI project,” observes Prof. Håkansson.

Two complementary solutions

In the future, there will be a need for both the current percutaneous Ponto System and the active transcutaneous BCI project to ensure high fidelity sound quality to all types of patients with conductive and mixed hearing losses as well as single-sided deafness. “The two complementary solutions in the future Oticon Medical portfolio will give professionals and patients an option to choose the most optimal solution for the individual patient – based on type of hearing loss, age, reversibility wishes and cosmetics” says Jes Olsen.

The commercialization of the BCI project with new technologies is long term. The Ponto System is currently the most powerful solution on the market that through direct bone conduction drive and advanced signal processing and wireless technologies provides the best patient outcomes. “We are proud to see that clinical data shows that 2 out of 3 patients prefer Ponto sound processors* when given the choice,” adds Olsen. “We believe that through our collaboration with Prof. Håkansson, we can continue to expand our ability to deliver benefits that optimize lifelong patient outcomes – both now and in the future.”

*Reference List

1. Olsen, S. et al. (2011). Comparison of two bone anchored hearing instruments: BP100 and Ponto Pro. International Journal of Audiology, 50, 920-928.
2. Bosman, A. et al. (2013). Evaluation of a new powerful bone-anchored hearing system: a comparison study. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 24 (6), 505-13.
3. Oeding, K. & Valente, M. (2013). The effectiveness of the directional microphone in the Oticon Medical Ponto Pro. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 24 (8), 701-13.
4. Hill-Feltham, P. et al. (2014). Digital processing technology for bone anchored hearing aids: a randomised comparison of two devices in hearing aid users with a mixed or conductive hearing loss. Journal of Laryngology & Otology, 14, 1-9.
5. Busch, S. et al. Audiological results and patient satisfaction with Baha BP 110 and Ponto Pro Power: Results of a prospective clinical study. Presentation at 4th International Symposium Bone Conduction Hearing – Craniofacial Osseointegration, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, June 2013.
6. Soli et al. Within-subject comparison of speech perception in quiet and in noise for patients with single-sided deafness fitted with the BP100 and Ponto osseointegrated implant speech processors. Presentation at 12th International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Auditory Technologies, Baltimore, USA, May, 2012.
7. Bosman, A. et al. Evaluation of Cochlear BP-100 and Oticon Ponto Pro sound processors. Poster at 3rd International Bone Conduction hearing – Craniofacial Osseointegration (Osseo) Conference, Sarasota, USA, March 2011.
8. Ortega, C. et al. Performance of the Ponto Pro and BP 100 processors in patients with single sided deafness (SSD). Presentation at 3rd International Bone Conduction hearing – Craniofacial Osseointegration (Osseo) Conference, Sarasota, USA, March 2011.
9. Stenfelt, S. Comparing of two digital bone-conduction hearing aids in experienced users: a two-center study. Presentation at 3rd International Bone Conduction hearing – Craniofacial Osseointegration (Osseo) Conference, Sarasota, USA, March 2011.
10. Olsen, S. et al. Field test of a new bone anchored system. Poster at 22nd Annual Convention of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) – Audiology Now, San Diego, USA, April 2010.

Brent and Melissa’s daughter, Alyssa Tumblin

In 2009, a beautiful baby girl was born to Brent and Melissa Tumblin named Alyssa.  This beautiful little girl was born missing her right ear (Microtia) and missing her ear canal (Atresia), resulting in hearing loss.   Brent and Melissa tried to find answers through many doctors and ENTs and tried to learn why Ally was born with Microtia and Atresia, “it was very difficult finding any kind of answers to our questions” said Melissa.   When Ally was about nine months old and after some months of doing their own research to see what they could find, Melissa decided to start a support group on Facebook to help connect families and individuals in the same situation.  This support group has been running since May 20th, 2010 and has since then become the world’s largest global support group for families with loved ones born with Microtia and Atresia.  The Facebook support group is called “The Microtia and Atresia Support Group.”

Ear Community featured on the front page of the Boulder Daily Camera and Broomfield Enterprise papers (Melissa with her daughter’s Ally and Hailey)

Melissa quickly discovered that the majority of families who have a child born with Microtia and Atresia all have the same questions and could not find the answers they were looking for.  After considering forming a nonprofit organization for two years, Melissa decided to found the Ear Community Foundation on February 1st, 2012.  Ear Community has an amazing website that contains anything and everything that anyone would ever need to know about Microtia and Atresia, including surgical options, hearing devices,  helpful accessories, helpful resources for speech services and IEP/504 plans for school, life stories, and a forum for connecting families and individuals in the same situation.  Ear Community is a globally recognized nonprofit organization and has been referred to as a portal of information for medical professionals for updating themselves regarding Microtia and Atresia. Melissa has even presented CE/CEU accredited webinars that audiologists, ENTs, and therapists can take for medical credit and learn more about the struggles families often endure, all options,  and what information is needed when someone has a child born with Microtia and Atresia.  Ear Community also gives back to the community through hearing device donations, college scholarships, and financial assistance for travel costs for surgery planning (when funds are available).  In fact, Ear Community donated 31 hearing devices in just 2013 alone to children and adults born with Microtia and Atresia around the world! https://earcommunity.org/events/great-memories/

2013 Chicago, Illinois Ear Community Microtia Picnic (230 attendees)

One of Melissa’s main goals for Ear Community was to create a community for anyone born with Microtia and Atresia, including their families, to go to, a place where they would never feel alone.  Since hosting her first Microtia and Atresia summer family picnic in 2011 in Denver, Colorado, Melissa has gone on to hosting 14 more picnics in 2012 and 2013 in Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States bringing together close to 2,500 people.  This summer in 2014, Ear Community will be hosting another seven picnics across the United States, expecting another 1,300 to 1,500 people coming together.  Ear Community picnics provide a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and share experiences and also learn about all options and get answers to their questions by mingling with world renown plastic surgeons, ENTs, anaplastologists, audiologists, and therapists who attend our events.  Hearing device companies and surgical device companies proudly sponsor our events and come together to help the families who attend our picnics get the answers they are looking for.  Some of the wonderful sponsors who support Ear Community’s mission are:  Cochlear Americas, Ear Gear, Oticon Medical, Phonak, Sophono, and Stryker CMF.  We look forward to seeing you at one of our picnics this summer in CA, CO, CT, GA, MD, MI, and TX!

Melissa Tumblin speaking with families about all options at the 2013 Cincinnati, Ohio Ear Community picnic.

While Ear Community is a highly successful nonprofit organization, we are still very small and have very little funding.  When considering donating to a 501c3 nonprofit organization, please consider making a donation to Ear Community.  We could use your support to get to the next level and continue helping loved ones with Microtia and Atreisa across the world even more!
https://earcommunity.org/donate/

Every child is perfect with Microtia and Atresia, but if your child or if you are an adult who has M/A and you would like to know what options are currently available today, you have the right to know what these options are.  Especially, if you believe some of these options may make you happier in life.  Please know your options so you can be the best advocate for your child or for yourself.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Melissa Tumblin and Family and Board of Directors
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org