Archives for September 2024

Collin Elmore, Ear Community college scholarship recipient, 9/2024, Winona State University.

September 2024
Congratulations to Collin Elmore for being one of our Ear Community college scholarship recipients this year!

Collin was born with microtia and atresia of his right ear and grew up in Folsom, California. Collin’s family has always encouraged him to be a part of community, whether through hobbies or participating in school sports. Having a close family and being involved with the community has helped Collin embrace his microtia and atresia!

Collin doesn’t let his microtia or hearing loss define him. When he realized he needed to hear better, he benefited from a bone conduction hearing device system in the school classroom. He learned ASL as his second language, which he believes has helped him become a better communicator and allows him to stay connected to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. Collin believes in hearing his best and he supports others who would also like to hear their best. In fact, he and his family have advocated for hearing device legislation known as Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135, which would ensure that others have access to implantable hearing devices through their private insurance providers.

In addition to excelling in academics, Collin excelled in athletics too, becoming one of his school’s top athletes in baseball! Collin says, “my hearing impairment, rather than being a hindrance, has taught me to be more attuned to the nuances of the game, sharpening my instincts and enhancing my performance on the field. This dedication has not only contributed to my personal growth, but has also paved the way for the opportunity to play college baseball”.

Collin says that “commitment to overcoming barriers extends beyond personal accomplishments. He enjoys learning from and inspiring others facing similar challenges.” Two years ago, Collin and his family had the opportunity to host an Ear Community picnic, allowing them to give back to the microtia and atresia community and to children and adults in Collin’s same situation. Collin continues to help give back to the community today by playing baseball for Winona State University in Minnesota as a Deaf and Hard of Hearing athlete. As a  Geoscience major with a focus on hydrology, he plans to contribute to the protection of vital resources like Lake Tahoe and the Mississippi River.

Congratulations, Collin! We are SO PROUD of YOU! You ROCK! Have fun playing ball and go on to do great things with water conservation and management!
Thank you!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder – Executive Director
Ear Community

Lucas Anmolsingh, Ear Community college scholarship recipient, September 2024. Yale University.

September 2024
Congratulations to Lucas Anmolsingh for being one of our Ear Community college scholarship recipients this year!

Lucas was born with microtia and atresia of his right ear and is from Stewartsville, New Jersey. Growing up in a rural town, Lucas explains that the terms microtia and aural atresia were unknown to most. Lucas was a shy kid and often tried to hide his condition, rarely speaking about it. He felt his microtia and atresia was something to be embarrassed of and something that made him feel inferior to others, in addition to feeling alone. His parents were also never informed of any hearing loss communities or helpful resources in their small hometown. However, when he was entering high school, Lucas discovered Ear Community’s website! Lucas explained in his scholarship application, “Not meaning to be dramatic, but the Ear Community website changed my life! I was not aware of the resources, information and community of shared stories that I was missing out on!” As a result, Lucas wanted to help give back and created the website, www.supportforauralatresia.com, when he was in high school sharing his perspective on living with aural atresia. Since then, Lucas has learned to embrace his microtia and atresia, even going on to share his story during a senior class retreat!

Lucas currently attends Yale University where he is pursuing a B.S. degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, with a concentration in Biotechnology. He plans to attend medical school eventually becoming an otolaryngologist, which he believes will allow him to make a lasting impact on others in a way that he can personally relate to his patients while fulfilling his interest in surgery. Lucas is a volunteer at the Yale New Haven Hospital’s infections disease ward as an aid and has volunteered to help other students on campus as a medical debt and insurance counselor for low-income CT residents.

Lucas knows that hearing loss can be scary! In addition to his aural atresia, Lucas struggles with hearing loss in his non-microtic/atretic ear due to a perforated ear drum that is now causing gradual hearing loss. However, he knows that he is not alone and this gives him the confidence to endure any future roadblocks. Even at Yale, Lucas quickly realized that scholarships for hearing loss are hard to come by. Lucas wanted Ear Community to know how thankful he is to our organization by saying “thank you for all of your organization’s work, and I would like to reiterate that what you do makes a real difference! Whether it’s the technical resources, informative contacts/videos or support advice (which my parents and I have all personally used), your resources are vital to the hearing loss community!” Someday, I hope to help those who are just like me and I wish to use your platform to be an advocate for aural atresia, to spread awareness and build confidence in kids with microtia and atresia.”

Congratulations, Lucas! We are SO PROUD of YOU!!! Enjoy learning everything that is needed at Yale and go on to do great things, Lucas!

Thank you!
Melissa Tumblin
Founder – Executive Director
Ear Community