November 14, 2024 – (DURHAM, NC) – MED-EL, a pioneer in hearing implant technology, today launched the 2025 IDEASforEARS competition in celebration of World Inventors Day. This global initiative invites young minds to step into the role of inventor, channeling their creativity to design groundbreaking solutions that could transform the lives of people with hearing loss.

Open to children aged 6 to 12 years, this year’s contest encourages entrants to dream without limits and contribute to a future where hearing challenges are met with innovative solutions. One grand prize winner will be awarded a trip to MED-EL’s international headquarters in Innsbruck, Austria, to meet with MED-EL inventors and other child inventors from around the world.

The IDEASforEARS contest serves as a platform where young inventors can unleash their imaginations. Whether through drawings, models, videos, or other creative mediums, children are encouraged to envision the next big advancement in hearing technology. This is not just about competition – it is about fostering a spirit of innovation and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those with hearing loss.

“The IDEASforEARS contest is more than just a competition. It is an opportunity for young minds to contribute to a future where hearing loss is met with hope, innovation, and ingenuity. Through IDEASforEARS young inventors can explore their creativity and contribute ideas that could shape the future of hearing technology. At MED-EL, we are committed to fostering the next generation of innovators, and this contest allows us to discover fresh perspectives that could influence our product development and enhance the lives of those with hearing loss,” said Jennifer Robinson, Corporate Director of Product Management Hearing Solutions at MED-EL.

Since the first contest in 2017, IDEASforEARS has captivated more than 1,200 young people from more than 40 countries, proving that the desire to create and help others knows no borders. The contest not only celebrates the inventive spirit of children but also raises awareness about hearing loss, a condition that affects millions globally. By participating, children gain insight into the importance of hearing health and the potential for technology to change lives.

MED-EL invites parents, guardians, and teachers to encourage children to participate in this life-changing contest. More information and submission details can be found at IDEASforEARS.medel.com. Submissions close on January 17, 2025, at midnight (CET).

About MED-EL

MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has more than 2,800 employees from around 80 nations and 30 locations worldwide.

The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 137 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Rebecca Novak Tibbitt
media.us@medel.com

The microtia and atresia blue awareness day ribbon.

On November 9th, 2024, our Ear Community Organization’s 9th dedicated International Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day took place for our beautiful community! We had families, medical professionals, schools, hearing device companies and other organizations embrace our special day around the globe! The microtia and aural atresia community was embraced by many community’s all over the world including the United States, Canada, Taiwan, the UK, Denmark, China, Argentina, Ecuador, Columbia, Mexico, Mongolia, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary and more!

Each year, we come together to celebrate our beautiful children and promote awareness and education about microtia and atresia. It is important to shine a light on this rare cause as only 800,000 children and adults have microtia and atresia in the world. In the United States, there approximately 58,000 individuals living with microtia and atresia with an estimated 660 babies being born each year in the US (1 out of 6,000 chances at birth).

4 grades of microtia and aural atresia

November 9th is dedicated to spreading hope and knowledge of a rare congenital birth anomaly known as microtia and aural atresia. Microtia (missing or underdeveloped ears) and Atresia (missing or underdeveloped ear canal, resulting in hearing loss) when the ear(s) occurs during the 1st trimester of pregnancy when the ears do not fully develop. Often affecting one ear or both ears, Microtia and Atresia come as a surprise when diagnosed at birth. Facial challenges, hearing loss and the longing for social acceptance are some of the daily concerns for those who are born with Microtia and Atresia.

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

Zoey receives the gift of hearing for National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day. San Antonio, TX, November 5th, 2024. Ponto 5 Mini thanks to Oticon Medical and Ear Community. (right ear microtia and atresia)

One of our many highlights this November 9th was our Ear Community Organization being able to help give the gift of hearing to Zoey, a young girl in Texas who had been denied a bone conduction hearing device multiple times by different health insurance plans. No one should ever have to fight to hear! Hearing devices give people their lives back and also allow for a better quality of life. Zoey’s story shares how her hearing loss changed over time and how it began to affect her in school. Thankfully, Zoey’s

Melissa and Swati, “Let’s Normalize the Differences – Microtia”. Renaissance with Swati on Youtube.

family found Ear Community! There were many other highlights this November 9th! Ear Community’s Founder, Melissa Tumblin, was invited on a beautiful podcast called Renaissance with Swati to talk about differences and acceptance of our children. Thank you to Swati Jain for doing this beautiful podcast with me for Microtia Awareness Day! Also, the International Center for Ear Reconstruction in China hosting an amazing event for 35

The International Center for Ear Reconstruction in China microtia awareness day event, 2024.

microtia and atresia families this year! The event was able to educate microtia families on their options and also about helpful resources like the Ear Community Organization! The Mongolian Microtia community brought 47 children together this year making it a special day for everyone who attended!

It’s always a joy to watch our children advocate for themselves. It’s even more of a joy to see the pride in them as they educate others about their rare cause. We had many children educate in their school classrooms this year, presenting about microtia, hearing loss and hearing devices. Many schoolroom teachers and Teachers of the Deaf embraced their students who have microtia and atresia in the classroom, sharing

California

about options and also enjoying cookies and cupcakes making it a special day to learn something about other’s differences! From school parking lot signs posting about our awareness day to schools including our special community day on their monthly calendars – it was a wonderful time to educate and include so many! Most importantly, there was a lot of talk about kindness and acceptance and that it is okay to be curious, but be curious in a understanding way. It is important to remember that children and adults with microtia and atresia are not different from anyone else. Individuals with microtia and atresia can do everything anyone else can do. Especially when given the chance to. In the UK, The Enniskillen Castle & Strule Artts Centre in Omagh where lit up on November 9th for our cause just like last year in Canada where the CN Tower was lit up in our blue awareness day color. Amazing!

The Furze Family promoting microtia awareness in the school classroom!

As parents, we are willing to move mountains for our children in order to give them what they need. It also takes a village to make this happen! Ear Community’s mission has always been filled with the hope to find the answers we are looking for and for every child and adult born with microtia and atresia to know they are never alone, because they have all of us in our community! Our organization brings our families together, we educate on the options that can make our loved ones live the happiest lives, we do research to make our communities better, we advocate for what is needed and we provide information that will help the next

Kayla sharing about microtia and hearing loss in her school classroom.

family’s journey easier when they have a child born with microtia and atresia. However, we cannot do this alone. Helen Keller once said “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much!” We are grateful for the community we now have! We are grateful to everyone who embraces our rare cause and helps give back to our community. Thank you to all who love our children and adults with microtia and atresia! Thank you for taking a moment to learn about something new like microtia and aural atresia!

A HUGE thank you to Ear Community’s Sponsors who help give back to our community, including all of our donors who support the good we do and allow our organization to keep on keepin on! Without you, our community would not be here to offer so much in the way of our events, donating hearing devices to those in need, awarding college scholarships, advocating for legislation that is needed and championing genetics and general research that is needed for our community. Especially, shining a light on our cause during Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day! Thank you to everyone’s continued support to our organization and community! It is appreciated more than you know and means the world to the community we serve!

Melissa Tumblin
Founder, Executive Director
Ear Community

Zoey receives the gift of hearing for National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day. San Antonio, TX, November 5th, 2024. Ponto 5 Mini thanks to Oticon Medical and Ear Community. (right ear microtia and atresia)

Meet Zoey, a sweet 14 year old girl from San Antonio, Texas! Zoey was born with a congenital anomaly affecting her right ear, known as microtia and aural atreisa – where her outer ear and ear canal did not fully develop, causing hearing loss. Even though Zoey has always been interested in school and is social, she has struggled off and on with her hearing over the years. When Zoey was in elementary school, her mom, Anna, took her to the audiologist for a routine hearing test. At the time, Zoey had healthcare coverage through the Texas CHIP program. After learning more about Zoey’s hearing loss and receiving a recommendation from their audiologist for a bone conduction hearing device, Anna was excited to help Zoey hear better. However, the CHIP program denied coverage for a hearing device when Zoey’s family applied.

Fast forward a few years later where Zoey is now in 8th grade. Her hearing loss is becoming more of a struggle for her in the school classroom because of background noises and loud sounds. Anna didn’t realize how much Zoey was struggling to hear each day until Zoey finally mentioned it and they had a conversation about her hearing. This time, Anna applied to Medicaid for a bone conduction hearing device. Anna had been waiting to hear back from Medicaid since 2023 – only to be denied! Meanwhile, Zoey began struggling in school. Anna shared that Zoey had become fearful of asking her teachers to clarify or repeat themselves because she thinks they will think she is not listening. Zoey had also begun guessing about what was being said while trying to read lips. Zoey had also recently began struggling with hearing how loud or soft her voice was when speaking. Frustrated, Anna began reaching out to a few hearing loss organizations that she was informed of in hopes of finding a hearing device for Zoey. Sadly, Anna didn’t receive any responses back from the applications they filled out! Anna says Zoey had cried many times, worrying about her hearing and sadly wondering why they couldn’t find the help she needed!

Anna, Kate, Zoey, Steven and Eloise Quesada, November 2024.

For years, Anna had belonged to an online community for families with children who have microtia and atresia. Once Anna realized the support group was part of a nonprofit organization called Ear Community, she applied for a hearing device for Zoey. After Ear Community’s Board of Directors learned how this family has been continually denied access to hearing for their daughter, the Board voted to help Zoey obtain a bone conduction hearing device! On November 5th, 2024, Zoey received the gift of hearing with a Newly donated Ponto 5 Mini bone conduction hearing device from Oticon Medical! Zoey was fitted with her Ponto 5 Mini by Dr. Phallon Doss, owner of the Doss Audiology & Hearing Center. Anna said, “Zoey started crying when she heard through hearing device for the first time. She went outside of the audiology office and said Wow! I didn’t know birds chirped like that! The best part, Anna said, is when Zoey got home and practiced the trumpet she’s been playing for the last years, she said I never knew trumpets really sounded like that!”

Anna is grateful to the Ear Community Organization for helping her daughter hear. – “Thank you for fighting for Zoey in this journey when it felt like I had exhausted every possible option, knocked on every door and felt like I had nowhere else to turn! You have been God’s response to a 14 year old girl’s desperate (and silent) cries for help! Thank you Ear Community!”  Melissa Tumblin, Executive Director of Ear Community says, “It takes a village. Our organization has been helping children and adults in need obtain bone conduction hearing devices since 2012. No one should ever have to fight this hard to hear! And yet insurance providers continue to deny these medically necessary hearing devices! For this very reason, our organization has a Federal piece of legislation in place that would help make coverage consistent, known as Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439/S. 1135. Our community needs this bill to pass!”

Zoey and Dr. Phallon Doss

When a hearing device is donated by the Ear Community Organization, more than just the Ear Community Organization is involved. A special thank you to Anna and Zoey for advocating for better hearing and for never giving up! A special thank you to Oticon Medical for giving back to the community through nonprofits like Ear Community, so that together we can help improve people’s quality of life! Thank you to Brendalys Trinidad, Consumer Marketing and Events Manager of Oticon Medical US, for making sure Zoey’s Ponto made it in time for her special hearing day! Brendalys has been behind many gifts of hearing with Ear Community and we are grateful for you! A special thank you to Dr. Phallon Doss for not only fitting and programming Zoey’s Ponto, but for helping this family receive the gift of hearing that will help Zoey thrive! Also a special thank you to Tony Puricelli, Territory Manager for Oticon Medical, for making sure Zoey and Dr. Doss had everything needed for Zoey’s special hearing day! It’s quite possible that Zoey’s fitting wouldn’t have worked out the way it did if it were not for everyone involved pressing on and advocating when needed! Most of all, Zoey received the gift of hearing during National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day, which is something quite meaningful all on its own.

Thank you to Ear Community’s Board of Directors for helping change a child’s life! We are so happy you found us, Anna and Zoey! We are even happier Zoey can hear the birds, her trumpet and not have to worry about missing a beat in the classroom when her teachers are teaching. We know Zoey will go on to do amazing things!
Melissa Tumblin
Executive Director
Ear Community

Alex and Maggie Lang hosting a fundraiser for Ear Community

Alexander and Maggie Lang wanted to help give back to the community by supporting a nonprofit that not only was near and dear to their hearts, but one that would help children and adults in need.

Alex was born without his right ear (microtia) and has hearing loss due to an underdeveloped ear canal (aural atresia). He often wondered if there was an organization or a resource available that helped individuals just like him or a place to connect with others in the same situation. To Alex’s surprise, he recently discovered the Ear Community Organization! During the summer, Alex and Maggie attended an event that was hosted by the Ear Community Organization in Edina, in collaboration with Minnesota Children’s Hospital, and had a wonderful time! As Alex watched younger kids with microtia and atresia playing together at the event, he thought how wonderful this would have been to have when he was a kid! Alex wanted to become more involved with Ear Community as soon as he could and recently became a Board Member for the organization.

Alex Lang, hosting a fundraiser for Ear Community

On November 1st, 2024, Alexander and Maggie Lang hosted a fundraiser in Minnetonka for the Ear Community Organization to help give back and help support children and adults who are missing one or both ears with hearing loss. Family, friends and members of the community attended the organized event. To their surprise, the fundraiser raised over $5,000 for the microtia and aural atresia community! This fundraiser was extra special for Alex because it allowed him to embrace a community that is close to him and be an inspiration to others in the same situation! Alex also said this event was very special to him as it reminded him of a special day like his wedding day – being around so many friends and family, talking and sharing happiness with everyone! Most importantly, with feelings of love and acceptance by so many, the day really made him smile. Alex enjoyed the opportunity to promote awareness and educate about something that means so much to him. Since finding Ear Community, Alex has been able to connect with the local children’s hospital and doctors through the microtia and atresia clinic where he can help reach out to other families in the same situation. He is looking forward to meeting new microtia families and sharing his experience along with helping them know they are never alone.  Alex also looks forward to teaching the kids all of the ear related humor he knows too! Melissa Tumblin, Ear Community’s Executive Director said “Alex is a incredible role model for these families and such a wonderful inspiration to so many! We are lucky to have him as a member of our board and a part of our organization!”

A special thank you to Maggie Lang for being by Alex’s side and supporting him in so many ways. A special thank you to Alex’s family and friends for helping him be the incredible person he is today- the fun personality and genuine person he is. Thank you so much to the Lang Family for making this fundraiser possible and the work that was put into making everything a success! Thank you to everyone who helped give back by making a contribution to the Ear Community Organization! Thank you to Jade Park at Unmapped Brewery for donating the space for this special event! Thank you to Rob for donating the whiskey give-a-way! And thank you to Jared Jenkins of the Minnesota Wild for donating the signed hockey stick! – Together each one of you helped make this special day extra special! Especially for Alex and his family!

Funds raised will go toward Ear Community’s events, college scholarships, hearing device donations, promoting awareness and education about microtia and atresia, genetics research and community research as well as legislation known as Ally’s Act that will help the members of this community thrive when it comes to hearing device coverage.
Thank you for this incredible support!

Here are some fun memories from this fundraiser:

Thank you,
Melissa Tumblin
Ear Community