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