Ear Community and Cochlear Americas coming together to help a young boy hear better for the holidays

Alessandro being fitted with his new Cochlear Americas BP100 processors

Meet Alessandro Martinez who is 1.5 years old and was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia. Alessandro and his family live in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Alessandro’s mother, Ana Mazariego, says that “Alessandro’s hearing loss is educationally handicapping. He is unable to hear normal conversational speech without some kind of amplification device.” She fears that he will be unable to develop his speech and language correctly or succeed in any educational or social setting without some kind of hearing help.

Alessandro’s family was unable to provide a bone conduction hearing device of any kind for him due to financial restrictions. Ana found out about Ear Community through Alessandro’s audiologist, Dr. Joan Lacoss, and Becky Corbett, Alessandro’s special educator. On October 8^th, 2013, Alessandro received two new Cochlear Americas BP100 Bahas through Ear Community. Alessandro’s audiologist, Dr. Joan Lacoss, of Children’s Hospital Montgomery County Regional Outpatient Center in Rockville, MD, was delighted to find out that Ear Community could help little Alessandro hear better with two new processors! Becky Corbett is Alessandro’s special educator working with the Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers/Program for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students.  Becky and Dr. Lacoss knew how important it was to try and help little Alessandro find a way to hear life.  A special thank you to both Becky and Dr. Lacoss for helping Alessandro’s family discover Ear Community and in providing them with the helpful services the family receives.  Thank you to Dr. Lacoss for donating her time and services to program Alessandro’s new processors.

“It is always a miracle to see a smile on a family’s face when they see their child perk up from hearing everything for the very first time when listening through a hearing device,” says Melissa Tumblin, Ear Community Founder.  “Ear Community strives to help the individuals within the Microtia and Atresia community in many ways providing help for so many and information for these families to learn from so their loved ones can thrive and live the happiest lives,” says Melissa Tumblin.

I would like to especially thank Bobbi Scheinin of Cochlear Americas for donating two new BP100 Bahas to Ear Community so that the foundation can help children hear better like Alessandro. “Cochlear is the global leader in implantable hearing solutions. It has a dedicated global team of more than 2,500 people who deliver the gift of sound to those with hearing loss in over 100 countries. Its vision is to connect people, young and old, to a world of sound by offering life enhancing hearing solutions. In 2013, Cochlear celebrates 100,000 Baha System users – all with unique stories of how being able to hear again has impacted their lives. The Cochlear promise of “Hear Now. And Always” embodies the company’s commitment to providing its recipients with the best possible hearing performance today and for the rest of their lives.”

Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays and a very Happy New Year!
Thank you so much,
Melissa Tumblin
Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community
and
Ear Community’s Board of Directors