Hi Everyone!

This is Eva and Eva has Microtia and Atresia. Eva enjoyed Ear Community’s Florida picnic while wearing her “Microtia Kids Rock” T-shirt and having fun blowing bubbles on Saturday, April 27th, 2013 in Orlando.  Eva was proud to wear her “Microtia Kids Rock” T-shirt to school the next day!

Ear Community is proud to host seven more Microtia and Atresia summer family picnics this summer around the world.  Last year’s picnics that Ear Community hosted took place in Canada and in the United States and helped bring almost 1,000 people together.  Ear Community’s picnics welcome Microtia and Atresia families and individuals (including Hemifacial Microsomia, Goldenhar Syndrome, and Treacher Collins families), medical professionals, and hearing device companies all at fun and stress free environments!  When everyone comes together at Ear Community picnics, attendees  are given the chance to share experiences with each other, meet someone in the same situation, have the kids come together and play, and also have the opportunity to meet with medical professionals and hearing device companies so we can get the facts and learn about all of your options.  Medical professionals include Microtia and Atresia plastic surgeons, ENTs, audiologists, therapists, and anaplastologists who mingle with us helping answer our questions.  The hearing device companies that participate in Ear Community’s picnics bring demonstration hearing devices for everyone to learn about and try on.  We are also thankful for their help in educating us on hearing loss and how bone conduction hearing devices can help improve the quality of life for our loved ones who are deaf and hard of hearing.  Most of all, families and individuals who have Microtia and Atresia can connect with each other knowing that they are not alone and that they can be a part of a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity organization that helps give back to the Microtia and Atresia community, Ear Community.

This year’s Microtia and Atresia Summer Family Picnics will take place in:
Orlando, Florida on Saturday, April 27, 2013
Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, June 22, 2013
London, England on Saturday, June 29, 2013
Barcelona, Spain on Saturday, July 6, 2013
Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, July 13, 2013
Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday, July 27, 2013
Los Angeles, California on Saturday, August 10, 2013

Two of Ear Community’s summer family picnics will be in collaboration with Microtia surgeon conferences…
Our Los Angeles, California picnic will be in collaboration with Dr. Sheryl Lewin’s LAMAC (Los Angeles Microtia Atresia Conference) which will be sponsored by her nonprofit organization, Earicles – Miracles for Ears.  For details on attending and registering for this conference, please visit:  http://microtiaearsurgery.com/lamac  The Los Angeles conference will take place from Friday, August 9th through Sunday, August 11th.  Guest speakers will include Dr. Sheryl Lewin, Dr. Arturo Bonilla, Dr. Brad Kesser, Melissa Tumblin, along with additional expert medical professionals.  Family members who will be attending the Let Them Hear Foundation conference, http://www.atresiarepair.com/, will be bussed over to the Ear Community and LAMAC location at the Terranea Resort, http://www.terranea.com/

Ear Community’s Barcelona, Spain picnic will be in collaboration with a surgeon conference with guest speakers Dr. Antonia Claveria and Dr. Francisco Parri at the CosmoCaixa, http://obrasocial.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/cosmocaixabarcelona/cosmocaixabarcelona_es.html

Ear Community’s picnics are sponsored by the following organizations this year:

I look forward to seeing everyone come together at our Ear Community picnics this summer!  For a list of our picnic dates and details on how to contact a picnic host to RSVP to a picnic, please visit the following link:  https://earcommunity.org/2013-picnics-and-events/
Thanks.

Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
Founder of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group on Facebook

Bear, 2 years old, BMA, wearing his new Oticon Ponto Pro Processor

Meet Bear.  Bear is two years old and lives in Atlanta, Georgia.  Bear was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia (born with Grade I Microtia of both ears and has no ear canals resulting in hearing loss).  Bear is a very bubbly little boy who enjoys exploring life everyday.  Even though Bear would carry on in his cute ways as any toddler would, Jenni and her husband, Trey, worried that he was not hearing very well.  At one time, Bear had a an older bone conduction hearing aid (BCHA) as a loaner unit and they realized that a device like this could help Bear hear better.  When, Jenni, Bear’s mom, realized that Bear wasn’t hearing everything she began researching how to obtain a bone conduction hearing device on a softband head band for Bear.  However, Bear’s family was denied insurance coverage for a BAHA (bone anchored hearing aid).  For the past year and a half, Jenni has gone to a number of hearing clinics and met with a number of audiologists and ENTs trying to find a way to help Bear obtain a hearing device through their insurance provider.  Jenni even struggled to obtain a denial letter from multiple hearing clinics in order to even begin the appeals process with her insurance provider.  Frustrated and wondering how they would be able to afford to purchase a BAHA, Jenni applied through Ear Community seeking help for Bear.  On April 25th, Bear was fitted with his new Oticon Medical Ponto Pro processor.

Jenni and Trey Sheneman, pictured with Bear

Jenni and Trey have been members of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group for the past year and a half  and they knew that this support group was part of a nonprofit charity organization, called Ear Community, that was founded by Melissa Tumblin, a mother of a child born with Microtia and Atresia.  Today, Bear is hearing better than ever.  “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts” say Jenni and Trey Sheneman…  “Even though Bear has always had a great smile, his smile just seems brighter than ever before.”

While the Ear Community organization is proud to have donated Bear’s new Oticon Medical Ponto Pro sound processor 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.”

Ear Community wishes to say a very special thank you to the hearing device professionals who were involved with helping Bear hear better.  Thank you to Dr. Erin Holman, Bear’s most recent audiologist who helped fit Bear with his new Ponto Pro processor and thank you to Alan Raffauf, Oticon Medical’s Vice President of Marketing, for donating this new sound processor and for wanting to give back to the Microtia and Atresia community through the Ear Community organization.  Ear Community applauds the passion and effort that was involved with these individuals in helping another child hear better, so Bear can hear the way life was intended.  Ear Community is also happy to have been able to help a child hear better just in time to celebrate the month of May which is Better Hearing and Speech Month.

Ear Community is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit charitable organization that helps the Microtia and Atresia community and was started by a mother of a child who was born with Microtia and Atresia.

Thank you from Ear Community and its Board of Directors!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and the Executive Director of Ear Community
Founder of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group

AudiologyOnline – Webinar on Microtia and Aural Atresia
April 23, 2013 at 11AM Eastern Daylight Time
Session name:  “Microtia/Aural Atresia:  A Parent’s Perspective”
Course #22141

Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community has been invited to host a webinar session through AudiologyOnline discussing Microtia and Aural Atresia that will take place on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 11AM Eastern Daylight Savings Time (9AM MDT).  This session can be found under course #22141 and is called “Microtia/Aural Atresia:  A Parent’s Perspective.”  You can register for this session at the following link:  http://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/microtia-aural-atresia-parent-s-22141   This session is FREE to anyone who would like to simply learn more about Microtia and Atresia (parents, individuals with Microtia and Atresia, non-hearing loss professionals, teachers, etc…).  1 CEU contact hour will be given to hearing loss professionals who take the quiz for this course.  This CEU accredited session is sponsored by Oticon Medical.  Oticon Medical is a proud supporter of Ear Community and its mission to help families with Microtia and Atresia.  This session will be live and will be audio recorded and podcasted.  Professionals will have 7 days to take the this session and the quiz for 1 CEU if you are not available for the live session.  This session will be archived and can be listened to at anytime at the following link:  http://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/all/#/cp:oticon-medical .  AudiologyOnline is a recognized leader in online professional development and career center resources for audiologists and hearing care professionals worldwide.
For more information on AudiologyOnline, please visit:
http://www.audiologyonline.com/

Camilla Gilbert, BMA, Cincinnati, Ohio, Ear Community college scholarship recipient

Ear Community is proud to announce that Camilla Gilbert of Cincinnati, Ohio is the first recipient of an Ear Community college scholarship.  Camilla was born with Grade III Bilateral Microtia and Atresia and has never had reconstructive surgery.  Even though Camilla was born deaf, she says “fortunately my family was able to afford a bone conductor (hearing aid) so I could function in the “Hearing World.”  While growing up in a predominantly African American neighborhood, Camilla says “my peers and in some cases their parents, looked down on people with special needs…My vision is to educate individuals, that instead of teasing or looking down on people with special needs we need to build each other up.”  Camilla is currently working toward her degree in American Sign Language as an interpreter and then plans to earn her Masters Degree in Social Work.  Camilla plans on giving back to the deaf and hard of hearing community providing support to both deaf and hard of hearing children and their parents.  In Camilla’s community, there is only one residential school available to help children who are deaf and hard of hearing.  She says “some families are unable to afford the tuition and the deaf and hard of hearing community really needs more options in the city.”

Camilla’s goal is to develop a deaf and hard of hearing camp for the Greater Cincinnati area that will bring all members of this community together.  When Camilla is not focusing on work and school, she is spending time with her daughter.  Camilla is also the secretary of the Interpreter Training Program Club, a Volunteer Member of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), and has been a member of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group for the past 2.5 years.  Camilla currently maintains a GPA of 3.8 and she is looking forward to attending Ear Community’s Ohio Microtia and Atresia Summer Family Picnic this June.  Camilla’s scholarship is for $750.00 (USD).

Congratulations from all of us at Ear Community, Camilla and thank you for giving back to the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
Founder of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group

Hazeeq, 2 years old, BMA, lives in Malaysia

Meet Hazeeq.  Hazeeq is two years old and lives in Malaysia.  Hazeeq was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia (born missing both ears and has no ear canals resulting in hearing loss).   Hazeeq doesn’t let his Microtia and Atresia bring him down though.  He loves playing with his two brothers and carries on just like any happy and healthy boy his age would.  In fact, Hazeeq sings and dances every chance he gets along with a little yelling back at his brothers when they play.  However, Hazeeq is currently delayed in his speech due to having hearing loss in both of his ears.

Hazeeq’s mom, Nurzaihana (Hana for short), worries about his academic and social development because of his hearing loss and speech delay.  When Hana found out about a hearing device that could help her son hear better she was relieved, but in Malaysia, there is no insurance coverage for hearing devices and hearing devices can be expensive depending on a families income.  Hana and her husband, Helmy Norman, did their research though and found the Microtia and Atresia Support Group (Founded by Melissa Tumblin) 2 years ago and began learning about hearing loss, potential speech delays, and how a bone conduction hearing device could help Hazeeq hear better.  Since Hana and Helmy were already members of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group, they knew that this support group was part of a nonprofit charity organization, called Ear Community, that was also founded by Melissa Tumblin, a mother of a child born with Microtia and Atresia.  When Hana and Helmy discovered that Ear Community may be able to help them obtain a hearing device for Hazeeq, they applied with hope and prayer.

On Tuesday, March 19, 2013, Hana took Hazeeq to his audiologist where he was fitted with two brand new Oticon Ponto Pro sound processors complete with a soft band head band.  During Hazeeq’s fitting, his eyes lit up as he was switched on and Hana was filled with tears of joy.  Hana says “these pontos blend perfectly with Hazeeq’s hair colour, …I just love the colour of both band and processors!”  So far, Hazeeq is enjoying hearing the sounds of life and Hana says “after one week of wearing his new Pontos, he keeps asking ‘apa ni?’ (what’s this?) of everything he sees!”

While the Ear Community organization is proud to have donated Hazeeq’s new Oticon Medical Ponto Pro sound processors and soft band head band, none of this would
have been possible without Oticon Medical donating these amazing hearing devices 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.”

Ear Community wishes to say a very special thank you to the hearing device professionals who were involved with helping Hazeeq hear better.  Thank you to Hazeeq’s audiologist for donating her time to help Hazeeq with his fitting and thank you for listening to Hana when she was concerned about his hearing and speech delay.  Thank you to Patrick Tan who helped receive and program Hazeeq’s new Ponto Pros.  While Patrick is an employee of Oticon in Malaysia, he is not an employee of Oticon Medical (the division for BAHA products) as Oticon Medical products are not yet marketed in Malaysia.  Still, Patrick’s passion for wanting to help a little boy hear better led him to voluntarily working closely with Oticon’s sister company, Oticon Medical, to make this donation and fitting possible.  Thank you to Alan Raffauf, Oticon Medical’s Vice President of Marketing, for donating these new sound processors and for wanting to give back to the Microtia and Atresia community through the Ear Community organization.  Alan made sure Hazeeq’s processors were shipped from the United States and helped offer assistance to Patrick through Oticon Medical’s customer support center for the programming.  Ear Community applauds the passion and effort that was involved with these individuals in bringing two countries together in order to help change one little boy’s life forever, so he can hear again the way life was intended.

Ear Community is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit charitable organization that helps the Microtia and Atresia community and was started by a mother of a child who was born with Microtia and Atresia.

Thank you from Ear Community and its Board of Directors!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and the Executive Director of Ear Community
Founder of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group

Hi Everyone!

Ear Community is proud to host seven more Microtia and Atresia summer family picnics this summer around the world.  Last year’s picnics that Ear Community hosted took place in Canada and in the United States and helped bring almost 1,000 people together.  Ear Community’s picnics welcome Microtia and Atresia families and individuals (including Hemifacial Microsomia, Goldenhar Syndrome, and Treacher Collins families), medical professionals, and hearing device companies all at fun and stress free environments!  When everyone comes together at Ear Community picnics, attendees  are given the chance to share experiences with each other, meet someone in the same situation, have the kids come together and play, and also have the opportunity to meet with medical professionals and hearing device companies so we can get the facts and learn about all of your options.  Medical professionals include Microtia and Atresia plastic surgeons, ENTs, audiologists, therapists, and anaplastologists who mingle with us helping answer our questions.  The hearing device companies that participate in Ear Community’s picnics bring demonstration hearing devices for everyone to learn about and try on.  We are also thankful for their help in educating us on hearing loss and how bone conduction hearing devices can help improve the quality of life for our loved ones who are deaf and hard of hearing.  Most of all, families and individuals who have Microtia and Atresia can connect with each other knowing that they are not alone and that they can be a part of a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity organization that helps give back to the Microtia and Atresia community, Ear Community.

This year’s Microtia and Atresia Summer Family Picnics will take place in:
Orlando, Florida on Saturday, April 27, 2013
Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, June 22, 2013
London, England on Saturday, June 29, 2013
Barcelona, Spain on Saturday, July 6, 2013
Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, July 13, 2013
Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday, July 27, 2013
Los Angeles, California on Saturday, August 10, 2013

Two of Ear Community’s summer family picnics will be in collaboration with Microtia surgeon conferences…
Our Los Angeles, California picnic will be in collaboration with Dr. Sheryl Lewin’s LAMAC (Los Angeles Microtia Atresia Conference) which will be sponsored by her nonprofit organization, Earicles – Miracles for Ears.  For details on attending and registering for this conference, please visit:  http://microtiaearsurgery.com/lamac  The Los Angeles conference will take place from Friday, August 9th through Sunday, August 11th.  Guest speakers will include Dr. Sheryl Lewin, Dr. Arturo Bonilla, Dr. Brad Kesser, Melissa Tumblin, along with additional expert medical professionals.  Family members who will be attending the Let Them Hear Foundation conference, http://www.atresiarepair.com/, will be bussed over to the Ear Community and LAMAC location at the Terranea Resort, http://www.terranea.com/

Ear Community’s Barcelona, Spain picnic will be in collaboration with a surgeon conference with guest speakers Dr. Antonia Claveria and Dr. Francisco Parri at the CosmoCaixa, https://cosmocaixa.es/es/cosmocaixa-barcelona.

Ear Community’s picnics are sponsored by the following organizations this year:

I look forward to seeing everyone come together at our Ear Community picnics this summer!  For a list of our picnic dates and details on how to contact a picnic host to RSVP to a picnic, please visit the following link:  https://earcommunity.org/2013-picnics-and-events/
Thanks.

Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
Founder of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group on Facebook

Hi Everyone!
In February of 2013, Dr. John Reinisch proudly launched his new website, https://www.drjohnreinisch.com/microtia-treatment/what-is-microtia.  Dr. Reinisch has nearly 35 years of experience in treating children with craniofacial deformities, cleft lips and palates, vascular tumors, pigmented birthmarks, and microtia (congenital deformity of the ear). He is known worldwide for his groundbreaking design and successful use of a biomaterial implant for ear reconstruction in very young children [known as Medpor]. After more than 25 years at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, where he established the Division of Plastic Surgery, he is now Director of Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The Small Wonders Foundation

Small Wonders Founation is a U.S.-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance, information, help and encouragement to families of children with congenital and acquired deformities of the face and body. Started in 2005 to support the work of world-class pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. John Reinisch, Small Wonders Foundation has so far changed the lives of children born with microtia/atresia and large facial birthmarks.

Children born with facial deformities or birthmarks are oftentimes the subject of teasing and ridicule and may have low self-esteem due to being treated differently. Sometimes it gets in the way of their learning or ability to make friends. Dr. Reinisch understands the emotional as well as the physical needs of his patients and their families. Small Wonders Foundation, working with Dr. Reinisch and the patients’  families, seeks to provide these children with the opportunity to live full and happy lives.

It is the goal of Small Wonders to further the important work Dr. Reinisch provides by financing surgeries that otherwise are denied because of insurance, training more fellows in pediatric reconstructive surgery, hiring more staff to provide the important psychological and social support for families, and hopefully raising awareness within the medical community as well as the public of the latest pediatric reconstructive techniques through educational materials.

__________________________________________________________

Dr. John Reinisch is the pioneer of the Medpor surgical technique for Microtia ear reconstructive surgery and has helped thousands of children during his career.  Thank you for your commitment, your passion, your dedication, and skilled expertise Dr. Reinisch, and for helping so many of the children and adults who struggle in life with Microtia and additional facial challenges who just want to live a better quality of life.  Thank you for what you do to help the Microtia community!

Dr. John Reinisch will also be attending our Ear Community Summer Picnic for Microtia Families in Los Angeles on August 10th, 2013 as a part of the Let Them Hear Foundation’s conference.  I look forward to seeing you again Dr. Reinisch!

Thank you,

Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
Founder of the Microtia and Atresia Support Group on Facebook

This is adorable little Evan Holley who is five years old and was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia.  Evan’s family could only provide him with one Baha (bone conduction hearing device) even though he needed two to hear best. Insurance coverage had denied their claim for a second Baha for Evan.  On December 3rd, 2012 Ear Community received an e-mail from Robin Lieber Rosengarten who was looking for a place to donate her father’s Baha.  When Robin came across the Ear Community site, she said  “I liked what I read.” Robin contacted Melissa Tumblin, the Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community, and donated her father’s Cochlear BP100 Baha so someone else could benefit from it.  Ear Community Board of Director member, Angela Sabal, knew just who to donate this Baha to.  Angela knew of a mother who was struggling to find a way to get Evan a second Baha.  Angela Sabal knew what a wonderful gift it would be for Evan to receive a second Baha just in time for Christmas.  On December 11th, 2012, Evan’s mom, Angela, was contacted and told that Ear Community had found a Baha for Evan.  Angela began crying tears of joy over the phone and couldn’t believe that Evan was getting a second Baha.  Angela said “it has been both mentally and physically exhausting [trying to get Evan a second hearing device], but because of help from Angela Sabal and people at Ear Community, Evan would never be where he is today.”  Evan received his donor Baha just in time for Christmas and was excited to be able to hear Santa’s laughter a little bit louder this year.  Robin and her mom, Arlene Lieber, were delighted to find out that their donated Baha had gone to help Evan hear better.  Robin thanked Melissa Tumblin and Angela Sabal of Ear Community and said “you have made my mom and entire family happy beyond belief!!!…Just the fact that we can help a child hear is the most wonderful thing!”

Ear Community would like to say a very special thank you to Robin Lieber Rosengarten and her mom, Arlene Lieber, for donating this Baha to Ear Community for Evan.  Thank you Angela Sabal of Ear Community for knowing about Angela and Evan Holley and for helping us make a difference in someone elses life.

Ear Community typically donates new processors, but this Baha was a special gift that helped make multiple families happy.

Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community 

On Monday, November 26, 2012, the Daily Camera newspaper featured an article on the front page of the ‘Local’ section about Ear Community and how Melissa’s work is helping give back to the community as a global nonprofit organization. 

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Growing Strong:  Ear Community Charity Achieves Nonprofit Status

Ally Tumblin, then 2, born without her right ear, plays with her sister Hailey, 5, right, and their mother, Melissa, at their home in March. Melissa Tumblin, the girls mother, started an international support group for the condition Microtia and Atresia from her home.

Ear Community recently hit a significant milestone when it gained nonprofit status with the help of the Broomfield Community Foundation. Ear Community is allowed to act as a 501c3 nonprofit organization under the temporary umbrella of the Broomfield Community Foundation until Ear Community officially gets federal tax ID number.

“I’m so grateful for their help,” said Tumblin, who has been able to get legal and tax guidance from the Foundation in addition to nonprofit status.

Nonprofit status is critical to help raise money for Ear Community’s ongoing education campaigns and future scholarships for families facing huge medical bills. It can take a year or more for organizations to gain nonprofit status, which is why the Broomfield Community Foundation stepped in to help as Tumblin waits for paperwork to be approved.

Karen Smith, the Foundation’s executive director, said the board of directors heard about Tumblin’s work with Ear Community and knew her work deserved support.

“They were impressed with her mission and passion,” she said. “It’s not just about what she wants to do, but what she has already accomplished on her own.”

The past year has been busy for Tumblin, who travels extensively to raise awareness and connect people affected by Microtia and Atresia. The condition can cause deafness or hearing loss, and some people who have the condition have other birth defects that affect the bones in their face.

Tumblin hopes her work with Ear Community can bring her 3-year-old daughter, Ally, closer to a world more rich with sound.

Ally Tumblin, 3, left, who was born without an ear, poses with her mother Melissa and sister Hailey, 5, at their home on Nov. 16, 2012. Melissa Tumblin started Ear Community a nonprofit organization to help children born without ears (called Microtia and Atresia) has been granted a fiscal sponsorship from the Broomfield Community Foundation.

Ally wears a hearing aid on a decorated headband, and also uses a radio hearing device while in school in order to better hear her teacher. She also follows the guidance of her older sister, Hailey.

Tumblin said Ally is finally getting old enough to understand that she hears things differently than other children. She calls her functioning ear her “open ear” and her underdeveloped ear her “closed ear” or “little ear.”

While Tumblin tucked Ally into bed one night, Ally asked her mother a question.

“She asked me to open her other ear,” she said.

Tumblin, who speaks at major industry and physicians’ conferences, said raising her daughter put her in a unique position to help families.

“I can speak from my heart and my experiences,” she said.