Poppy is the star of the show at the D & L Nursery Customer Appreciation Day and fund raiser for the Ear Community Organization. Poppy and Family shared their story and why nonprofit organizations like Ear Community matter when you cannot find the answers you are looking for. (May 2025, Ocklawaha, FL)

The Cutchin Family run the D & L Nursery in Ocklawaha, Florida where they hosted their annual Customer Appreciation Day in May. Each year, the nursery picks a charity organization to help give back to that they are grateful to, just like they are grateful to their customers. This year, they selected The Ear Community to give back to to say “thank you” for being there for them when their daughter was born & they couldn’t find the answers they were looking for.

In 2019, Katie & David Cutchin had their beautiful daughter, Poppy. They noticed one of her ears was underdeveloped, but due to the rarity of Microtia & Atresia, their doctors at the hospital were not able to provide much information regarding what it could be or why her ear canal was closed.

Katie explains that “Being a new mom and seeing that your baby has a congenial anomaly that doctors can’t explain sends you on an emotional roller coaster and down a rabbit hole of google searches, looking for the answers the doctors didn’t have. While self researching, we discovered that our daughter had what is called Microtia and Atresia, yet there wasn’t a whole lot of information about it until we happened to come across the Ear Community’s website!” In a testimonial for the organization, Katie explains that “It was during this time her family was fortunate to be able to have a conversation with the organization’s Founder, Melissa, and be put in touch with other other families who are on the same journey. Finding the Ear Community Organization and being able to utilize the information available from the Ear Community, helped our family be able to advocate for Poppy, locate doctors who are familiar with her condition, have proper hearing testing done, and form a plan of action for better hearing with the help of a hearing device that wasn’t mentioned to us. We were able to gain valuable information on what the future may look like for Poppy should we opt for surgical reconstruction or a bone anchored hearing device. Without the Ear Community, we truly believe we would have been lost and not have been able to advocate as well for our daughter which could have led to speech delays, trouble with learning in school, and added stress to the family. It is invaluable to have a place to connect with other parents & learn about other people’s experiences.”

The Cutchin Family’s story is very similar to that of the Tumblin Family’s, which is why the Tumblin Family founded Ear Community Organization in 2010. As a result, Ear Community has helped microtia families learn more about this rare cause and the options available to those with hearing loss because of these conditions, helping them know they are not alone. “The Ear Community has been essential for many families like ours in finding the necessary resources for our loved ones living with Microtia and/or Atresia. They are an amazing non profit that we are fortunate to have learned about! Ear Community was created in response to the lack of knowledge and support for families in need of information regarding these conditions and how to get their loved ones the help they need. With these congenital anomalies being so rare, knowledgeable doctors are few and far between and we are often the ones to inform our pediatricians of what Microtia and Atresia is and how we need to proceed with treatment. The funds donated to the Ear Community help fund research on Microtia and Atresia, provides hearing solutions for those who cannot afford it or were denied through insurance, and provides scholarships to those with Microtia Atresia to continue their education through college.

Thank you to Katie, David & Poppy Cutchin & Family for hosting a fundraiser in May at their nursery for our Ear Community Organization! It was a beautiful day for Customer Appreciation Day and the fundraiser for Ear Community! From organizing raffles and a silent auction to organizing food and lots of fun activities at the nursery that included tree art demonstrations and presentations and lots of helpful tips on caring for plants and trees and gardening! THANK YOU to the artists that gave the demonstrations. They donated their time, travel expense and the trees used in their demonstrations. The artists trees alone brought in a total of $510.00 with a total donation amount of $2,678.00, including donations, going to the Ear Community that was raised! A very special thank you to the Cutchin Family (David, Katie, Poppy and Family) and everyone at the D&L Nursery including Sarah, Charlene, Mary Lou, Patty, John Clayton, Norine Catich, Jeff Ketts, MaryJo Magargee, Eddy Fernandez, Jim and Ray Blakely, Darry and Barbara, Connie and Nanci, Chris Cosenza and Ken Sandifer! It takes a lot of planning and everyone’s help to make these special days possible! Thank you especially for helping give back to the Ear Community! D&L Nursery also lined up this special day honoring World Bonsai Day, which takes place every May 10th! And, congratulations to David and Katie on the birth of baby Mack just last month! Poppy is so excited to have a baby brother!

Here are some fun memories from this special day organized by Poppy and her family and friends!
Thank you, Katie, David and Poppy and Everyone!
Melissa Tumblin
Ear Community

Melissa Tumblin, Founder of the Ear Community Organization, is proud to be a presenter at this year’s American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association Meeting taking place in Palm Springs, CA along with the CARE Study Team, a research team Ear Community has proudly been collaborating with for the past five years!

Our panel presentation, “Enhancing Craniofacial Research: Integrating Family Stakeholders,” will take place on Friday, May 9th at 7AM and will include Amy Schefer, Melissa Tumblin, Amy Mendillo, Lucy Pearse, Kris Pearse, Dr. Nicola Stock, Dr. Canice Crerand, Dr. Alexis Johns.

Authors: Stock NM, Herring B, Magee L, Johns AL, Crerand CE, Heike CL, Schefer A, Drake AF, Tumblin M, Feragen KB.

The CARE Study Team has conducted research that was needed in the microtia and atresia and craniofacial field. Thanks to our collaborative research efforts, our CARE Team is making things easier for the next family that has a child born with microtia and atresia and craniofacial microsomia! The CARE Team is comprised of a interdisciplinary group of more than 20 members from 7 countries including members who are advocates, researchers, and healthcare providers. Our team works out of two primary sites – Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Bristol, West England in the UK. Our research team also includes a number of subcommittees and an Advisory Council as well.

Our CARE Study Team is proud to be making multiple presentations during the ACPA including having multiple papers accepted from our team’s research at this year’s meeting! Below is just one of the papers from our team’s contributions.

“Surgical Decision-Making Regarding Hearing and Ear Reconstruction in Craniofacial Microsomia: Exploring Caregiver Narratives,” – Manuscript Number: JCMS-D-24-00363R1, Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery. Published in January 2025. Authors:  Stock NM, Herring B, Magee L, Johns AL, Crerand CE, Heike CL, Schefer A, Drake AF, Tumblin M, Feragen KB.

For more information on our CARE research team and advisory board, visit: CARE Team

I am looking forward to seeing lots of our medical professional friends and fellow advocates at this year’s meeting!

Thank you!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder – Executive Director
Ear Community

Jaden Williams, Ear Community college scholarship recipient, 3/2025, Arizona Western College.

Congratulations to Jaden Williams for being one of our Ear Community college scholarship recipients this year!

Jaden was born with bilateral microtia and atresia, who grew up in an orphanage in China without a hearing aid, struggling to hear and reading people’s lips, making it difficult for him to keep up with his classmates in school. Jaden remembers feeling isolated and frustrated, often wondering why he was different. Jaden was able to still find love while growing up in the orphanage. The Chinese people in the orphanage showed Jaden compassion, helping him find a loving home and offering emotional support during this challenging time in his life while coming to the United States. Jaden says, “This experience taught me the importance of being diligent in life and not giving up on facing challenges – values that I continue to carry with me to this day.”

After Jaden was adopted by his American mom and brought to the United States, he was given the opportunity to be aided with a bone conduction hearing device which transformed his life! Suddenly, he was able to engage in conversations, participate in class and connect with others in a way he had never been able to before! This change opened up a world of possibilities and gave him the confidence to pursue his dreams! Jaden is grateful to his teachers for helping him receive the support he needed to move forward, spending extra time with him to ensure he understood what he was learning and by helping him develop the skills he needed that are helping him thrive. It was their belief in him, along with his mother’s, that inspired him to work hard and strive for a bright future!

Jaden is excited for his future! He is determined to become an attorney and is currently pursuing his AA degree in Paralegal Studies from Arizona Western College. From there, Jaden is looking forward to earning his Bachelors Degree in legal studies and plans to apply to law school. He hopes that his career will go on to serve as a testament to the determination that is being defined through his own personal journey and to be an inspiration for others who may find themselves in a similar situation with Microtia and Atresia.

Congratulations, Jaden! We are SO PROUD of YOU! Thank you for reminding all of us that love and help go a long way and for the reminder of how important hearing is! You are an incredibly strong individual with amazing determination and drive that undoubtedly will help you soldier on creating that bright future you are in search of! Do great things, Jaden!
Thank you!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder – Executive Director
Ear Community

December 30th, 2024
Cochlear, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, is proud to announce that it has been named the number one most trustworthy company in the healthcare industry by Newsweek in its 2024 rankings of the World’s Most Trustworthy Companies. This prestigious recognition underscores Cochlear’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer-centricity.

The Newsweek ranking was conducted independently in collaboration with global data research firm Statista and evaluated companies based on customer, investor, and employee trust. Over 70,000 participants provided 269,000 evaluations, highlighting Cochlear’s exceptional reputation and dedication to improving the lives of those with hearing loss.

“At Cochlear we place a strong emphasis on customer service and support ensuring our recipients are at the heart of everything we do. Cochlear offers a comprehensive range of services to ensure that recipients of our devices receive the best possible care throughout their hearing journey. This includes rehabilitation programs through our Connected Care program, working with audiologists and hearing care professionals for continued support, and access to a global community of Cochlear recipients,” Dig Howitt, Chief Executive Officer & President of Cochlear said.

“Our dedication to our mission extends beyond our products and services. Cochlear is also committed to making a positive impact on society through initiatives aimed at raising awareness about hearing loss and advocating for greater access to hearing care,” Howitt continued.

“This recognition from Newsweek recognizes our commitment to making a difference to the lives of people with hearing loss.”

For more information about Cochlear and its innovative hearing solutions, please visit www.cochlear.com.