EAR COMMUNITY NAMED “2022 TOP-RATED NONPROFIT” by GreatNonprofits

For Immediate Release:

EAR COMMUNITY NAMED “2022 TOP-RATED NONPROFIT” by GreatNonprofits

Award based on Community Recommendations

Broomfield, Colorado  December 20, 2022 –The Ear Community announced today it has been named a “2022 Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading website for community recommendations of charities and nonprofits.

Since 2010, Ear Community has paved the way for children and adults who are born with Microtia and Aural Atresia all over the world. Ear Community has shined a light on this rare cause through advocacy efforts, raising awareness and promoting education, which has resulted in helping hundreds of thousands of caregivers, families and medical professionals better understand this congenital anomaly. Ear Community created a community that was much needed along with creating a sense of belongingness and acceptance. To date, the Ear Community has hosted over 100 FREE events bringing families together in the same situation, donated over 150 bone anchored hearing devices, awarded 20 college scholarships, championed genetics research, introduced Federal legislation for hearing device insurance coverage and established National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day – honoring the Microtia and Atresia community every November 9th.

“We are honored to be named a 2022 Top-Rated Nonprofit,” says, Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Executive Director, of Ear Community. We are proud of our accomplishments this year, including our collaborative work on genetics research that led to a breakthrough discovery in identifying a new genetic cause for Microtia and Atresia and Craniofacial Microsomia.”

The Top-Rated Nonprofit Award is based on the rating and number of reviews that Ear Community received from volunteers, donors and aid recipients. “When our daughter was born with microtia, we had never heard of the condition and were completely overwhelmed with how to navigate getting her the best care. Ear Community provides thorough, accurate information in a warm and supportive community and Melissa made herself available to provide personal support, recommendations and reassurance. Five months later, we feel confident in our ability to advocate for our daughter and her ability to thrive.” – community member/donor. To learn more about Ear Community, please visit:  https://earcommunity.org/

“The Ear Community is a great example of a nonprofit making a real difference in their community,” said Shari Tishman, Managing Director of GreatNonprofits, “Their award is well-deserved recognition not only of their work, but the tremendous support they receive, as shown by the many outstanding reviews they have received from people who have direct experience working with the Ear Community.”

GreatNonprofits is the largest donation website for nonprofits and where people share stories about their personal experiences on more than 1.8 million charities and nonprofits. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only awards for nonprofits determined by those who have direct experience with the charities – as donors, volunteers and recipients of aid.

The complete list of 2022 Top Rated Nonprofits can be found at: https://greatnonprofits.org/awards/browse/Campaign:61/Issue:All

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About Ear Community, Inc.
Promote educational and public awareness about Microtia and Atresia and hearing loss, in an unbiased manner, while promoting advocacy and connecting individuals in the same situation.

About GreatNonprofits
GreatNonprofits is the leading platform for donors to find stories and ratings of nonprofits. By applying the power of crowdsourcing to the world of nonprofits provides over 500,000 stories and reviews for more than 1.8M nonprofits influencing 30 million donation decisions a year. GreatNonprofits has received coverage in the Economist, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Chronicle of Philanthropy, and has been personally endorsed by philanthropist Bill Gates. The organization is led by a team of nonprofit, business, product, and technology professionals. Visit https://greatnonprofits.org for more information.

Media Contacts
Melissa Tumblin
Executive Director, Ear Community
Melissa@EarCommunity.org

Karen Dayan
Chief Marketing Officer, Great Nonprofits
karen@greatnonprofits.org

National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day – November 9th, 2022


On Wednesday, November 9th, 2022, National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day was embraced and celebrated throughout the world by promoting awareness and education about the rare congenital anomaly called Microtia and Aural Atresia. Microtia occurs when the outer ears do not fully develop during the first trimester of pregnancy. Aural Atresia occurs when the ear canals do not fully develop or are absent, causing hearing loss. Microtia occurs in 1 out of every 6,000 children born in the United States (approximately 660 babies born each year). This awareness day was established by the Ear Community Organization, taking place every November 9th, honoring the beautiful children and adults in our community with this condition. Below is our story from this year’s National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day spotlighting some of the many ways awareness and education was spread on November 9th:

National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day gives our community the opportunity to shine a light on our rare cause. On this day, medical professionals specializing in Microtia and Aural Atresia repair host clinics educating families who have loved ones with Microtia and Atresia. Medical device companies educate on how individuals with Microtia and Atresia can benefit from specialized hearing devices they offer called Bone Anchored Hearing Devices or Bone Conduction Hearing Systems. Medical device companies offering surgical implants that can help create an outer ear or correct facial asymmetry during reconstruction also enjoy embracing our community on this day. Posts on social media channels include educating about all the options for Microtia and Atresia. This day also provides a platform for families and teachers to educate and promote awareness about Microtia and Atresia in schools. Advocates often wearing supportive t-shirts, awareness wristbands and often bringing in ear shaped cookies or cupcakes with our awareness ribbon on them talk about our cause. Parents, teachers of the Deaf and hard of hearing, speech therapists and early intervention providers speak with children about differences, being unique, acceptance, and being kind in the school classroom. Some children and parents give presentations on Microtia and the type of hearing device that can help someone hear when they are born with Aural Atresia. Some discuss how everyone is different in their own way such as wearing eyeglasses, they share about their

Educating in the school classroom.

journey and being a role model. Special events are often organized on this day by schools for the Deaf and Hard of hearing and by Teachers of the Deaf/HH as well throughout the states. Many of Ear Community’s Sponsors enjoy educating on hearing device technology and how children and adults with Microtia and Atresia can benefit from these specialized hearing devices. This year, Oticon Medical Sponsored t-shirts for children and staff at the Summit Speech School in New Jersey. These families enjoyed coming together on November 9th with their beautiful children, making it an extra special day! Many community members find our day as a special day they look forward to celebrating each year, including some who’s birthdays fall on our awareness day!

Many countries embrace National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day as this was not only a much-needed day to raise awareness, but individuals born with Microtia and Atresia are often an under-served community. Awareness and advocacy were needed for this cause. It is amazing to see the world embrace our special day, every year, promoting education and awareness. Some of the many countries embracing National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, India, Russia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Poland, Russia, Japan, China, Mongolia, the UK, Malaysia, Australia, Denmark, Brazil, France, and South Africa just to name a few.

Harvard researchers with Seidman Labs (Barbara McDonough and Angela Tai)

One of Ear Community’s goals as a nonprofit was to work on research, with the hope of finding the answers to the questions surrounding why Microtia and Atresia happen. Most families have often never heard of Microtia or Atresia when a child is born into their family with this rare congenital anomaly. However, other families have multiple family members affected with Microtia and Atresia throughout generations. While there is little understanding of what causes Microtia and Atresia, there are new genetic findings that show damaging genetic variants cause Microtia and Atresia and Craniofacial Microsomia. Ear Community’s founder, Melissa Tumblin, didn’t want another mother to ever blame herself thinking she must have done something during her pregnancy to cause her child’s ears to be missing or underdeveloped. After a five-year grant research project collaborating with Harvard Medical School (Seidman Labs), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, MIT – the Broad Institute, the NIH, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Foundation, Seattle Children’s Hospital and many contributing organizations, our community now has new information that can help us understand why Microtia and Atresia may happen. This year alone, our primary investigator, Dr. Dan Quiat of Harvard Medical School, published two papers on these new findings helping us understand what damaging mutations cause Microtia and Atresia and Craniofacial Microsomia. We are grateful to the researchers who have worked incredibly hard to help our community find the answers we are looking for! This genetics information can be found on Ear Community’s website here.

Dr. Ashesh Bhumkar in India of Bhumkar ENT & Microtia-Atresia Hospital .

Many medical professionals embrace November 9th by educating online about the options for Microtia and Atresia. Some wear t-shirts and wristbands while hosting clinics to help support and educate these families. Some like Dr. Ashesh Bhumkar of India (Bhumkar ENT & Microtia-Atresia Hospital), donate their time and service to reconstruct an ear for one lucky child on November 9th! Some medical facilities that embrace National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day include Stanford Children’s Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital, Harvard Mass Eye and

Dr. Angelo Leto-Barone with Nemours Children’s Health.

Ear, NY Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mt. Sinai, Nemours Children’s Health, Children’s Minnesota, University Hospitals, Johns Hopkins, including many audiology and ENT academies and organizations as well as many hearing loss organizations just to name a few. This year, Ear Community hosted a global presentation on “Let’s Talk About Microtia and Atresia” educating on the options for our rare cause as well as why the Ear Community Organization was founded. Families and health care professionals including social workers, teachers of the D/HH, and therapists joined this presentation from all over the world from Ghana, Ethiopia, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Argentina, Ecuador, and many from the United States. Moments like this are what Ear Community was founded on, helping bring Microtia and Atresia families together from all over the world. This presentation can be viewed here.

Many news articles were published on National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day sharing about our community and organization’s story. This year, Ear Community made International Business Times as well as being nominated and recognized as “Nonprofit of the Day” by Philanthropi! We would like to thank

International Business Times on National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day.

everyone who has supported the Ear Community Organization and our mission since 2010! It is the intention of Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day to help promote public awareness & the hope that future generations of families will leave the hospital equipped with more answers than questions & their dreams for the child intact. It is also the hope that if more people learn about Microtia & Atresia, that they will be kinder & more accepting. Through this National Day of Awareness, individuals with Microtia & Atresia & their families can find out about organizations & resources for information & support. We are grateful for the beautiful community we have created and brought together. Every child and adult who has Microtia and Atresia is truly unique and amazing. We hope that you never let your sweet little ears or hearing loss ever define you because you can be something truly amazing! We also hope no one with Microtia and Atresia ever feels alone because you have all of us!
Thank you,
Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

We hope you enjoy some of the amazing memories from our community on National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day!

 

Today is National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day!

November 9th, 2022

November 9th is National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day, dedicated to spreading hope & knowledge concerning a rare congenital anomaly known as Microtia & Aural Atresia – when the ears do not fully develop during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Microtia derives its name from the Latin terms for little ears or missing ears. Aural Atresia results when the ear canals are underdeveloped or absent, causing hearing loss. 1 out of every 6,000 children is born with Microtia & Aural Atresia in the United States (approximately 600 babies are born each year in the US).

It is the intention of Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day to help promote public awareness & the hope that future generations of families will leave the hospital equipped with more answers than questions & their dreams for the child intact. It is also the hope that if more people learn about Microtia & Atresia, that they will be kinder & more accepting. Through this national day of awareness, individuals with Microtia & Atresia & their families can find out about organizations & resources for information & support.

Microtia and Atresia can affect one or both ears.
Microtia can occur with or without Atresia and visa versa.
Microtia affects the right ear more often.
Microtia is more common in males.

Many individuals affected by Microtia and Atresia can also have Craniofacial Microsomia – when the jaw line is asymmetrical on one side causing oral complications, including causing the skull, eye and mouth on one side to be smaller or underdeveloped when compared to the non affected side. Craniofacial Microsomia is also known as Hemifacial Microsomia.

African Americans are the least affected by Microtia and Atresia, while Ecuadorians, Hispanic/Latino, Asian and Native American ethnicities are affected more often.

There are (4) grades of Microtia and Aural Atresia:
While there is little understanding of what causes Microtia and Atresia, there are new genetic findings that show damaging genetic variants may cause Microtia and Atresia and Craniofacial Microsomia. The Ear Community Organization didn’t want another mother to ever blame herself, thinking she did something to cause her child’s ears to be missing during her pregnancy. These new findings can be found on Ear Community’s website, here, including additional research information.

Children and adults who have Microtia and Aural Atresia are beautiful and perfect in every way and should never let their hearing loss or underdeveloped ear(s) define them. However, if an individual with Microtia and Atresia believes that outer ear reconstruction or hearing restoration surgery would give them the happiness they long for, it is important to be informed of the following options:
1. The Do Nothing Option.

2. Reconstructive surgery:
a. Rib Graft surgery – an ear framework that is stitched from sections of rib (gold standard surgical technique).
b. Porous polyethylene surgery – known as a preshaped ear framework referred to as Medpor, SuPor or OMNIPORE.
c. Craniofacial surgery that can help make the jaw and face symmetrical. Jaw distraction is also an option. Polyethylene implants for the chin and cheeks are an option as well as botox. A craniofacial team/plastic surgeon can review these options with you.

3. Prosthetic ear (which looks incredibly realistic).

4. Atresiaplasty/Canalplasty – when a hole is drilled into the skull, creating an area for an ear canal that is lined with a skin graft as well as creating the possibility of the middle ear bones being tweaked offering an improved hearing range.

5. Bone Anchored Hearing Devices/Bone Conduction Implant Systems – these are specific bone conduction systems that aid conductive hearing loss and are often the only specialized hearing devices individuals with Microtia and Aural Atresia can benefit from due to missing ears.


Bone Anchored Hearing Device options:

The Cochlear Baha and Osia System
The Oticon Medical Ponto System
The MED-EL ADHEAR and BONEBRIDGE System

The Ear Community Organization is the first parent driven nonprofit organization to help Microtia and Atresia families, specifically, as well as having paved the way for this community since 2010.

How has Ear Community given back to the Microtia and Atresia community?
– offered the first comprehensive online resource for information on Microtia and Atresia in one place in multiple languages.
– hosted over 100 FREE events throughout the United States as well as in Denmark, South Africa, Spain, the UK, Australia and multiples in Canada bringing together thousands of families and medical professionals.
– donated over 150 bone anchored hearing devices to those in need or who have been denied by their insurers.
– awarded 20 college scholarships.
– established “National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day”. Our awareness day has a Resolution in place that would designate November 9th on the government calendar.
– championed genetic research on Microtia and Atresia with published results.
– has Federal legislation introduced, known as Ally’s Act, that would ensure private insurance coverage for Bone Anchored Hearing Devices and Cochlear Implants for children and adults from birth to age 64.
– 3D Printed/Regenerated ears – collaborating with clinical trials.

On National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day, many medical professionals host clinics and educate online about Microtia and Atresia through social media. Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as well as families educate and advocate in the school classroom, sharing about hearing loss and Microtia as well as discussing differences, acceptance and being kind. Many choose to read from related books on Microtia and hearing loss while others bring in treats such as cupcakes and cookies in the shape of ears or with the blue Microtia and Atresia awareness ribbon on them. Many classrooms get creative with coloring pages of Microtia ribbons that are printed for anyone to color in!

Medical professionals to consider reaching out for information regarding help with Microtia and Aural Atresia:
Neonatologist, pediatrician, ENT, audiologist, craniofacial team (plastic surgeon and oral surgeon), pediatric dentist, opthalmologist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, anaplastologist, geneticist, psychologist/counselor or developmental specialist.
* some children have additional syndromes associated with Microtia and Atresia who can benefit from additional specialists listed above.

Did you know that animals can also be born with Microtia and Atresia?

Ear Community is proud to shine a light on our rare cause every November 9th. Most importantly, we hope no one with Microtia and Atresia ever feels alone. We think all ears are beautiful – biological, reconstructed or prosthetic. Never let your hearing loss or missing ears define you because it is what makes you unique!

Tags:  #nationalmicrotiaandatresiaawarenessday
#microtiaawarenessday  #atresiaawarenessday
#microtiakidsrock  #EarCommunity  #luckyears

Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

Denver Mile High Living Invites Ear Community on the show!

On Thursday, September 22nd, 2022, Ear Community was invited on the Denver Mile High Living Show by Host Gina Belich to talk about why the Ear Community Organization was founded. Ear Community Founder and Executive Director, Melissa Tumblin, shared why she founded Ear Community after her youngest daughter, Ally, was born without her right ear and no ear canal, and that the family just could not find the answers they were looking for. Ear Community has been around for nearly 13 years now after starting out as the Microtia and Atresia Support Group on Facebook in May of 2020.

Gina and Melissa talked about why Ear Community was much needed resource and how the organization has helped so many all around the world. Melissa shared that Ear Community has hosted over 100 events, donated over 150 bone anchored hearing devices, awarded 20 college scholarships and paved the way for Microtia and Atresia families. The organization has also championed genetic research on Microtia and Atresia as well as having legislation introduced, known as H.R. 477, which was named after Melissa’s daughter, Ally. Melissa explained that Congressman Joe Neguse is our bill’s original sponsor and how grateful she and community members are for his leadership in helping us with passage of this bill. Ally’s Act would ensure that private insurers cover bone anchored hearing devices and cochlear implants for children from birth to age 64. Melissa also shared about the organization and community’s national awareness day that her family established, known as National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day, taking place on November 9th. National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day is a day for embracing differences and being kind , also so children and adults with Microtia and Atresia never feel alone. Teachers of the Deaf, medical professionals and parents all come together and share about hearing loss and differences on this day. Melissa says that many medical professionals host Microtia and Atresia clinics on this day to help educate patients and also the public about this rare congenital anomaly while parents and Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing talk about hearing loss and acceptance of differences.

A special thank you to Montrece Hall, Associate Producer for Mile High Living at the Denver Channel 7 NEWS, for finding Ear Community as one of the many 501c3 nonprofits listed during Colorado Gives Day through the Community First Foundation. Ear Community is grateful for being invited on the show as one of the many Colorado nonprofit organizations. Mile High Living appreciates communities and learning about the members within the communities in our state. By having nonprofits on the show help promote awareness and share about the good that Colorado has with nonprofit advocacy.

Below is the link to the Mile High Living segment with Host Gina Belich and Ear Community Founder, Melissa Tumblin.

https://news.yahoo.com/microtia-artesia-support-ear-community-232211301.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG1P8aZ5fzcpnzy978BldNM0D_1eXibbX44hq_JVbL15FsG18CHSssna12H1A9aClfBP8MA7xJsYxPMfQh9Qsbub5-0VGFDWh6rhnBo9en_dBFWzkvsEXsE99wJ0KkR2Lpzp2r5wgRYYUyV1IBOTaDvDg6O_cX41HvMh05CmmTez

Here are some additional images from the Mile High Living Show set:

Oticon Medical honors advocate Melissa Tumblin with the Ambassador Leadership Award

Melissa Tumblin, Oticon Medical Ambassador Leadership Award recipient.

Alan Raffauf, VP of Marketing Oticon Medical with Melissa Tumblin of Ear Community, Fort Lauderdale, FL, August 2022.

On Saturday, August 13th, 2022, Alan Raffauf (VP of Marketing) of Oticon Medical honored Melissa Tumblin of the Ear Community Organization, with the Ambassador Leadership Award in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, recognizing her for her tireless work in the D/HH community for nearly 13 years. Since 2011, Oticon Medical has brought a select group of advocates together annually who have been advocating for bone anchored hearing systems, especially the Oticon Medical Ponto. Saturday’s event was hosted by Oticon Medical bringing together some of the many advocates who have advocated for the Ponto over the years. Alan Raffauf spoke about advocacy and how much he has enjoyed these times together with everyone over the years and learning about everyone’s individual journeys to help someone they love hear better. Alan described advocacy as “to change “what is” into “what should be”. Melissa and her daughter, Ally, are two of Oticon Medical’s oldest Ponto advocates. Ally was aided with the Oticon Medical Ponto Pro at 11 months of age in 2010 and is now aided with the Ponto 5 Superpower. Since then, the mom and daughter duo team have been advocating for better hearing, especially for the Microtia and Atresia community with Ponto. Thank you to Alan Raffauf for embracing advocacy and for giving community members, like the Tumblin Family, the opportunity to advocate for children and adults, as well as their loved ones, giving them the opportunity to thrive.

Melissa stated that “It was an absolute honor to receive the Ambassador Leadership Award and that the past 12 years of collaborating with Oticon Medical have been such an amazing journey that she will always cherish.” Over the years, Melissa and Ally had the opportunity to meet many advocates, young and older, and have felt like the bond between everyone has become a family advocating for the same need while getting to know each other’s journey and learning more of the different struggles individuals have when it comes to hearing loss. At the advocacy meeting, Justin Pfeiffer (VP of Sales) of Oticon Medical, wore his National Microtia and Atresia awareness wristband that he has worn over the years ever since attending one of Ear Community’s summer events. A special thank you to Brendalys Trinidad for all of her support over the years managing the advocacy events and going above and beyond for every advocate. The support that the Tumblin Family and Ear Community has received over the years as a collaborative partner with Oticon Medical has been truly amazing and it is moments like this that mean so much to the Melissa and Ally and her family as well as to the Microtia and Atresia community.

Thank you to everyone over the years at Oticon Medical US, including the Danish, Canadian, French, South African and Malaysian teams for collaborating with Ear Community when helping those in need of a bone anchored hearing system be able to obtain one through Ear Community. Ear Community has donated over 150 bone conduction hearing systems since 2012. Many of these hearing devices were made available with Oticon Medical’s help and Ear Community will forever be grateful. Thank you to the friendships made and the shared passion behind helping children and adults hear their best. Here’s to the amazing times we’ve shared all these years and to the amazing times yet to come!

On April 27th, 2022, a press release announced the acquisition of Oticon Medical by Cochlear, the global leader in implantable solutions for hearing loss. As part of the transaction, Cochlear has committed to providing ongoing support for Oticon Medical’s base of more than 75,000 hearing implant recipients, which includes cochlear and acoustic implants. Cochlear has also committed to seeking the develop of products that will be compatible with existing Oticon Medical implants, so a patient will be able to continue to access the new sound processor technology with their existing implant. This was an overall decision for Demant, Oticon Medical’s parent company, to discontinue its efforts in hearing implants, but to also find a company (Cochlear) who would go on to care for and continue support of the Ponto hearing device product line.

Here are some wonderful memories from the event.

Congressman Neguse visits with advocate Ally Tumblin, the little girl behind Ally’s Act, H.R. 477

Congressman Joe Neguse pictured (right) with the Tumblin Family, the family behind H.R. 477, also known as Ally’s Act. (6/25/2022)

On Saturday, June 25th, 2022, we had the honor of Congressman Joe Neguse joining us at our Colorado Ear Community picnic in Broomfield! Congressman Neguse was also finally able to meet the Tumblin family in person, especially Ally! Ally Tumblin wrote to Congressman Neguse in May of 2019 during Better Hearing and Speech Month, asking him to help her advocate to hear better and he did just that by introducing legislation honoring Ally called Ally’s Act! Shortly after, Congressman Neguse introduced a Federal bill on December that would help improve private insurance coverage for bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants for children and adults from birth to age 64! The last time Ally’s mom, Melissa, had met with Congressman Neguse in person was on September 20th, 2019 in Washington DC before the pandemic began and before our bill, Ally’s Act, H.R. 477 (previously 5485) was introduced by Congressman Neguse. It was an amazing day getting to see him again along with my family on Saturday, said “Melissa!”

During our event, The Ear Community Organization honored Congressman Neguse with an award on behalf of the Microtia and Atresia community for helping give our children and adults a voice to advocate to hear better with better private insurance coverage for bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants with Ally’s Act, H.R. 477 (previously H.R. 5485). It was such an amazing day!

It was such an honor to have Congressman Neguse join us at the headquarter Ear Community event in Broomfield, CO. About 50 Microtia and Atresia families joined us on our special day along with medical professionals. The very first Colorado Ear Community picnic was hosted in June of 2011 by the Tumblin Family. Since then, the Tumblin Family and Ear Community have gone on to  host nearly 100 picnics in the United States and abroad, bringing thousands of Microtia and Atresia families together along with medical professionals. Ear Community has donated nearly 150 bone anchored hearing aids to those in need and who have been denied by insurance providers since 2012. The Microtia and Atresia community, including members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community who wear bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants are hopeful for a hearing for H.R. 477 this year with House Energy and Commerce Committee members. A hearing request for H.R. 477 has been submitted by members of this committee. With passage of Ally’s Act, H.R. 477, this bill would help the less than 350,000 children and adults who require the use of bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants who are often left out and overlooked by their private insurers.

We are asking everyone to write, email and call members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, asking them to support and cosponsor Ally’s Act, H.R. 477. More information about and how to support this bill can be found at: https://earcommunity.org/about/allys-act-h-r-5485/ 

Below are some great memories showing Congressman Neguse holding the letter that Ally wrote to him along with Melissa and Ally Tumblin holding a copy of the Ally’s Act, H.R. 477 bill and the letter we received from Congressman Neguse on how he would support Ally by helping her advocate to hear better with Ally’s Act! Thank you to Congressman Neguse for hearing our voices and for wanting to help us! Thank you for helping give our children and adults a voice to advocate for improved hearing healthcare with H.R. 477! Photographer credit goes to Kamen Guentchev.

Melissa Tumblin
Founder, Executive Director
Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

#allysact #EarCommunity #microtiaandatresia #microtiakidsrock #boneanchoredhearingaids #cochlearimplant #hearingloss #advocacy #nonprofit #auralatresia

From one Mom’s heart during Better Hearing and Speech Month

Nicole Mazer and her son, Barrett, promoting education and raising awareness about Microtia and Aural Atresia during Better Hearing and Speech Month!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month – a time to educate and promote awareness about hearing and speech!

Meet Nicole Mazer and her sweet son, Barrett! When Barrett was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia, Nicole and her family felt a little lost along the way and alone. Thankfully, Nicole’s family found our Ear Community Organization! Microtia and Aural Atresia is a rare congenital condition that occurs in 1 out of every 6,000 births in the United States. Being a rare cause, not every medical facility is going to have enough information for families who have children born without ears and no ear canals, resulting in loss. As a thank you from Nicole and Barrett and their family, the Mazer family wanted to help pay it forward! Not only did Nicole want to help promote education about Microtia and Atresia, but she also wanted to raise awareness by involving the community by helping others learn more about Microtia and Atresia! In addition, she wanted to also help give back our organization – helping Ear Community can continue to help other families who have children and adults with Microtia and Atresia!

Nicole wanted to get the community involved and help make a difference – and that she did! First, Nicole wanted to help bring awareness about this rare cause to her high school she attended at Clearview Regional High School in Mullica Hill, NJ! She and her mom, Cindy, reached out to Clearview Regional’s ASL Club where she and Barrett presented on Microtia and Aural Atresia, which is one of many different ways congenital hearing loss can occur. Clearview Regional High School’s ASL Club hosted a jeans day that raised $257.00 for our Ear Community Organization during Nicole and Barrett’s presentation. A special thank you to Special Education Teacher and ASL Club Advisor, Kirsti Gimpel, for welcoming Nicole, Barrett and Cindy at Clearview Regional High School to share about our rare cause! A special thank you to Marilyn Goetz for organizing the jeans day fundraiser at Clearview Regional High School for our Organization!

For months, the Mazer Family also worked on planning another public fundraiser to help the Ear Community Organization raise funds for the good the organization does. Nicole and Barrett hosted a fun and educational fundraiser at Top Golf for friends and family where they showed a slide presentation during the event on Microtia and Atresia! Nicole organized slides that had statistics and images of Microtia ears and information about hearing loss (Aural Atresia) along with lots of helpful information to educate everyone during the golf event! While promoting education and raising awareness during the Top Golf event for our rare cause, Nicole’s family raised a total of $2,300.00 for our Ear Community Organization! ❤️ A tremendous “Thank You” to Nicole and Barrett and their family! In addition to Nicole’s family raising funds to help give back to nonprofits like Ear Community, Nicole’s sister, Liz Mazer, has also embraced supporting the Microtia and Atresia community by individually contributing to the Ear Community Organization as well as involving her employer, EJF Capitol, in being involved in community outreach and support to grassroots organizations.

Our Ear Community Organization is so proud of Nicole and Barrett and the Mazer Family for wanting to help raise awareness about Microtia and Atresia to help makes things easier on the next family that has a child born with Microtia and Aural Atresia! Especially during Better Hearing and Speech Month! Nicole and Barrett – you both are AMAZING advocates for our cause  and our community! Thank you for your amazing support and for wanting to help educate in your community! ❤️👂Our organization is grateful for YOU and your advocacy!

Below are some fun memories from Nicole and Barrett’s school presentation!

Thank you so much for all of your help and support!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder – Executive Director
Ear Community
www.EarCommunity.org

 

Cochlear agrees to acquire Oticon Medical, Demant’s hearing implants business

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASX Announcement 27 April 2022

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www.cochlear.com

Cochlear Limited, a global leader in implantable hearing solutions, agrees to acquire Oticon Medical for DKK 850million (approx.AUD170million) following Demant’s decision to exit its hearing implants business activities. As part of the transaction, Cochlear has committed to providing ongoing support for Oticon Medical’s base of more than 75,000 hearing implant recipients, which includes cochlear and acoustic implants.

Cochlear’s CEO & President, Dig Howitt said, “We look forward to welcoming Oticon Medical’s implant customers to the Cochlear family. Driven by our mission to innovate and deliver a lifetime of hearing outcomes, we will seek to ensure that Oticon Medical’s customers continue to be supported with a life time of hearing solutions. We will work closely with Demant to ensurea seamless transition, with continued access to current Oticon Medical technology for customers in the coming years. We will develop next generation sound processors and services that will enable customers to transition to and benefit from Cochlear’s technology platform overtime.

The acquisition of Oticon Medical will provide us with greater scale and will enable us to increase our investments in R&D and market growth activities. While Cochlear is a market leader in implantable hearing, we are a small player in the hearing loss segment where hearing aids remain the primary treatment option. Our goal is to improve the penetration of implantable hearing solutions, building customer awareness and confidence, and offering more patient shearing solutions best suited to their individual needs.

“Oticon Medical is expected to add AUD 75‐80 million to annual revenue. The business is currently loss making. Our priority post‐closing of the transaction will be to determine and implement a plan that returns the business to profitability as quickly as possible. Integration costs, which include the development of compatible next generation sound processors, are yet to be determined and could range from $30 ‐ 60 million. We continue to target along‐term net profit margin of 18%.”

To comply with French labour law requirements, the proposed transaction will be subject to a mandatory consultation process with Oticon Medical’s Nice‐based employee works council. Completion of the transaction will be conditional on satisfaction of customary closing conditions and receipt of competition approvals injurisdictions where the transaction meets relevant notification thresholds. The acquisition will be funded from existing cash balances and is expected to close in the second half of 2022. Cochlear will not be assuming any liability for issues that may arise from the voluntary field corrective action for Oticon Medical’s Neuro Zti cochlear implant announced in October 2021.

For further information, please contact:

Demant A/S: Divestment of Hearing Implants

 

 

 

27.4.2022 08:01:11 CEST | Demant A/S | Inside information Company announcement
no 2022-09 27 April 2022

Demant intends to divest its Hearing Implants business, while ensuring lifelong support of existing patients.

Demant has negotiated an agreement with the intention to divest its Hearing Implants business, Oticon Me-dical, to Cochlear Limited for a total consideration of DKK 850 million. The transaction follows a review of strategic options for the business area, including how to ensure the best lifelong support of existing patients.

Since the establishment of its Hearing Implants business in 2007, Demant has invested significantly in implantable solutions for the treatment of hearing loss, and the employees of Oticon Medical have worked tirelessly to bring industry-leading technology to thousands of patients, reaching many major milestones along the way. However, Demant has now concluded that the prospect of becoming a global leader in hearing implants is not achievable within a reasonable time frame without disproportionate levels of investments and significant dilution of the Group’s profitability. In this light, Demant has taken the decision to discontinue its efforts in hearing implants.

As a result, Demant believes it is in the best interest of both patients and the company to divest its Hearing Implants business to Cochlear, which is the global leader in implantable solutions for hearing loss. As part of the transaction,Cochlear has committed to servicing existing patients of Oticon Medical now and in the future.

“Overcoming the challenges of hearing loss – and living with implant technology to alleviate this – is a lifelong journey, and we believe it is best for our patients to continue this journey with Cochlear. We will do everything in our power to ensure minimal implications of the intended divestment for customers and patients as well as the employees of Oticon Medical,who have delivered beyond expectations and are some of the brightest minds in the industry,” says, Søren Nielsen,President & CEO of Demant, and continues.”

“Demant remains fully committed to hearing healthcare and audio technology. We will continue to grow and expand in hearing aids, hearing care and diagnostics, where we are uniquely positioned to service users and customers from the firstscreening, over the first fitting to continued personalised care, and to pursue the strong growth potential in Communications with our EPOS brand.”

“Dig Howitt, Cochlear’s CEO & President, adds: “We look forward to welcoming Oticon Medical’s entire base of implant customers and patients to the Cochlear family. Driven by our mission to innovate and deliver a lifetime of hearing outcomes, we will seek to ensure that Oticon Medical’s customers and patients continue to be supported with a lifetime ofhearing solutions. We will work closely with Demant to ensure a seamless transition of the business to Cochlear to ensure continued access to current Oticon Medical technology for customers and patients in the coming years. We will develop next-generation sound processors and services that will enable customers to transition to and benefit from Cochlear’s technology platform over time. The acquisition of Oticon Medical will provide us with greater scale and will enable us to increase our investments in R&D and market growth activities.”

Transaction details:  The transaction involves the divestment of Demant’s Hearing Implants business area, which comprises its cochlear implants(CI) and bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) product categories. Of the total consideration of DKK 850 million, DKK 700million will be paid in cash at closing and DKK 150 million within 18 months after closing.

Subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close in H2 2022,following consultation of relevant workers’ councils.

Financial impact:  In 2021, Hearing Implants realised revenue of DKK 512 million and EBIT of DKK -117 million, and the business area thus had a dilutive impact on the Group’s EBIT margin of 1.2 percentage points.

 

 

Going forward, Hearing Implants will be recognised separately as a discontinued operation in the Group’s financial reporting, and comparative figures will be restated to reflect this. As a consequence, Hearing Implants will neither be included in the Group’s EBIT nor in the Group’s outlook for continuing operations.

Excluding Hearing Implants from the Group’s outlook for 2022 has a positive impact of around DKK 150 million on the Group’s expected EBIT for the full year. Consequently, the Group now expects EBIT of DKK 3,600-3,900 million (previously DKK 3,450-3,750 million). The impact on other outlook metrics is neutral.

The profit after tax of discontinued operations in 2022 is expected to be negative by around DKK 150-200 million. This mostly reflects the expected operating loss in Hearing Implants, which may be further negatively impacted by the announced transaction in the period until closing, and also certain one-off items, such as the fair value adjustment of assets and liabilities that reflects the realised sales price and transaction costs. The net impact of the one-off items is expected to be roughly neutral, subject to adjustments for working capital and other items at closing.

There are no changes to the Group’s medium- to long-term outlook.

Conference call details:  Demant will host a conference call on 27 April 2022 at 14:00 CEST. To attend this call, please use one of the following dial-ins: +45 7876 8490 (DK), +44 2037 696 819 (UK) or +1 6467 870 157 (US). The pin code is 314337. A presentation for the call will be uploaded to www.demant.com shortly before the call.

 

About Demant:  Demant is a world-leading hearing healthcare and technology Group built on a heritage of care, health and innovation since1904. The Group offers innovative technologies, solutions and know-how to help improve people’s health and hearing.Headquartered in Denmark, the Group employs approx. 18,100 people globally and is present with solutions in 130countries where we create life-changing hearing health. William Demant Foundation is the majority shareholder in Demant A/S, which is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen as a blue-chip stock.

About Oticon Medical:  Oticon Medical is a global company in implantable hearing solutions, dedicated to bringing the power of sound to people at every stage of life. Oticon Medical’s competencies span more than a century of innovations in sound processing and decades of pioneering experience in hearing implant technology. Oticon Medical works collaboratively with patients,physicians and hearing care professionals to ensure that every solution is designed with users’ needs in mind. Oticon Medical has a strong passion to provide innovative solutions and support that enhance the quality of life and help people live full lives – now and in the future.

About Cochlear Limited:  People have always been Cochlear’s inspiration, ever since Professor Graeme Clark set out to create the first multi-channel cochlear implant after seeing his father struggle with hearing loss. Since 1981, Cochlear has provided more than 650,000devices in more than 180 countries, helping people of all ages around the world to hear. As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear connects people with life’s opportunities and welcomes them to the world’s largest hearing implant community.Cochlear has a global workforce of more than 4,000 people, with a passion for progress, who strive to meet the needs of people living with hearing loss. The company continually innovates to anticipate future needs, investing more than AUD 2billion to date in research and development to push the boundaries of technology and help more people hear.

About Demant A/S:  Demant is a world-leading hearing healthcare group that offers solutions and services to help people with hearing loss connect with the world around them. In every aspect, from hearing devices, hearing implants, diagnostics to audio and video solutions and hearing care all over the world, Demant is active and engaged. Our innovative technologies and know-how help improve people’s health and hear-ing. We create life-changing differences through hearing health.

2022-09 Divestment of Hearing Implants

 

Introducing the NEW Ponto 5 Superpower by Oticon Medical

INTRODUCING – The Ponto 5 SuperPower by Oticon Medical!
March, 31, 2022
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