History of EarCommunity.org and Microtia & Atresia Support Group

11/15/24

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 […]

11/13/24

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 […]

11/08/24

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 […]

11/05/24

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 […]

10/03/24

September 6th-9th, 2023 What an exciting week being part of the 8th International Congress on Bone Conduction Hearing and Related Technologies that was hosted here in Denver, Colorado! Melissa Tumblin, the Founder of The Ear Community Organization, was one of the many educational presenters during the Congress on bone conduction hearing device technology. From ENTs […]

10/02/24

How one family is giving back to the microtia and atresia community through Ear Community and the arts!               Meet Lauren Hoyal! Lauren is the Children’s Art Director with the Thomaston Upson Arts Council (TUAC) in Georgia. Lauren had a vision of educating the community about a rare condition […]

09/26/24

September is Craniofacial Acceptance Month! This month, take the opportunity to spread awareness for those with cleft and craniofacial differences. In addition to spreading awareness, celebrate the researchers and doctors who are dedicated to craniofacial research, helping make the journey easier for all of us! Did you know Ear Community works on craniofacial microsomia research […]

09/16/24

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. […]

09/05/24

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 […]

08/29/24

August 2024 Congratulations to Isabella Cuadras for being one of our Ear Community college scholarship recipients this year! Isabella was born with microtia and atresia of her left ear and grew up in the Lake City, Florida area. Isabella says while while she was not confident with her little ear growing up, she has managed […]

08/29/24

August 2024 Congratulations to Sadie Hart for being one of our Ear Community college scholarship recipients this year! Sadie was born with microtia and atresia of her right ear and grew up Brentwood, Tennessee, attending high school in Nashville. Sadie says while her microtia and atresia does moderately affect how she hears, she has managed […]

08/09/24

Meet Kaylle Perez, a happy little 2nd grader living in North Carolina, attending Cabarrus County Schools! Kaylle was born with unilateral microtia and atresia of her right ear. With Kaylle being in elementary school now, surrounded by peers and sounds in the school classroom, she realized she was struggling to hear everything clearly, including in […]

08/06/24

The Ear Community announces it’s newest Board of Director Member, Alexander Lang. Board Members for the Ear Community Organization consist of members of the community that include individuals who were born with microtia and aural atresia, family members and medical professionals. “It is important for our community to be informed of all options for microtia […]

08/02/24

Live in the Barnesville area of Georgia? Would you like to see the children’s play called, “Finding Nemo Jr.”, helping spread awareness about microtia & atresia & raising funds benefiting the Ear Community Organization? This children’s theater play taking place on August 9th, 10th & 11th, will be directed by Lauren Hoyal, a member of […]

07/12/24

  Business Wire Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 6:16 AM MDT ASKIM, Sweden, July 12, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oticon Medical announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of its first active transcutaneous bone conduction hearing system, the Sentio System. Sentio System delivers the proven benefits of the Ponto™ System – and more – in a […]

06/11/24

April 19th, 2024 Media Contact Christy LaPlante Public Relations Manager Cochlear Americas pr-cochlearamericas@cochlear.com In the United States, the Osia System is now cleared for children ages 5 and older The Osia System, which launched commercially in 2020, is indicated for people with conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss and single-sided sensorineural deafness (SSD)  The Osia […]

05/20/24

TODAY, May 20th, is Ear Community’s Birthday! Our organization is 14 years old! Ear Community is the first parent-driven nonprofit to serve the microtia and atresia community. Our organization is proud to have paved the way for our community with genetics research, research that will improve health care for our community for both the medical […]

04/30/24

Gothenburg 22 April 2024 Oticon Medical will celebrate the fourth annual Good Vibrations Day/Bone Anchored Awareness Day on May 3rd, 2024. This non-branded occasion was developed to raise awareness of bone conduction as an effective hearing treatment alternative for those with conductive, mixed, or single-sided hearing losses. Participation is open to all bone conduction device […]

04/05/24

Our Ear Community Organization was proud to exhibit at the 2024 EHDI (Early Hearing Detection and Intervention) Meeting held in Denver, CO this week! Our booth was busy with audiologists, therapists, educators, doctors, researchers and parents coming to our booth for information on microtia and atresia! This was Ear Community’s 6th time being a part […]

04/05/24

Pax’s Eyewear Fund is made possible by a sweet little boy named Pax who was born with microtia and atresia. Pax and his family know how important it is to help children have the eyeglasses and sunglasses they need, but glasses that can stay up when they are missing ears. Ear Community is grateful for […]

03/25/24

                      Thank you to Rotary Club of Broomfield for recognizing the wonderful work the Ear Community Organization does, both locally and globally! Yesterday, Ear Community, was awarded a grant by the Rotary Club of Broomfield that will go toward our Broomfield event in July, helping […]

03/15/24

On January 31, 2024, the Ear Community Organization was awarded the Charlie F. Cronheim Memorial Grant, by Reconstruct Together – a nonprofit organization that aims to sponsor established humanitarian missions in need of funding that serve the reconstructive needs of patients in communities around the world. Reconstruct Together’s Board of Directors honored Ear Community for […]

03/15/24

                          Ear Community hosts picnics every year around the world helping bring Microtia and Atresia families together. This year’s picnics will take place in the United States in Orlando, Florida/ Fullerton, California/ Calgary, Canada/ Edina, Minnesota/ Broomfield, Colorado/ New Orleans, Louisiana and Laval, […]

03/06/24

For the past eight years, Ear Community has been collaborating with Auregen Biotherapeutics for an ear of the future that would help children and adults born with microtia and atresia. Last fall, Auregen began clinical trials on 3D printed regenerated ears that would help individuals born with unilateral microtia. Auregen Bio is actively enrolling individuals […]

03/03/24

WANT BONE ANCHORED HEARING AIDS and COCHLEAR IMPLANTS COVERED BY PRIVATE INSURANCE? HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP ADVOCATE FOR ALLY’S ACT, H.R. 2439 and S. 1135 TO PASS! Are you tired of private insurance companies denying coverage for Osseointegrated Devices/BAHA or Cochlear Implants? Are you tired of insurance companies dictating who gets to hear and […]

03/03/24

February 5, 2024 Our Ear Community Organization would like to welcome our newest Board of Director Member, Joshua Shrader! Joshua and his family will also be hosting our 2025 Ear Community Microtia and Atresia picnic in Virginia! Please give Joshua a warm welcome! __________________________________________ Hi, my name is Joshua Shrader. I am 42 years old […]

03/02/24

The Ear Community Organization is proud to be recognized as one of the GreatNonprofits of 2023! Ear Community has been a recognized Great Nonprofit since 2016 and we are proud to continue helping make such an amazing impact for the Microtia and Atresia Community for nearly 14 years! ——————————————– For Immediate Release: November 20, 2023 […]

03/02/24

November 20, 2023 Thank you to the Give An Ear Foundation for honoring me with the Legacy Award for the Microtia community of South Africa this weekend! Two of the very first picnics Ear Community hosted years ago helped bring our microtia families together in Johannesburg when there was no help or information for the […]

03/02/24

November 7, 2023 Ear Community is proud to help another child hear & obtain two bone anchored hearing devices during our week of awareness on November 7th! Meet Imogene! Imogene is a sweet 4 year old little girl from Minnesota! Now that Imogene is at an age where she can communicate better, she began turning […]

03/02/24

September 1, 2023 Ear Community had the opportunity to help another community member hear with a bone anchored hearing device after being denied by his insurance provider. Meet Jaytee! Jaytee was born w/bilateral microtia & atresia. Jaytee has struggled for the past 30 years with hearing loss in both of her ears, even though she […]

03/02/24

August 2023 Congratulations to Delaney Yates for being awarded our latest Ear Community college scholarship! Delaney was born with microtia and atresia of her right ear and grew up on a farm in Iowa. She has been involved with sports and volunteering and shows cattle through 4-H Club. Delaney has learned to advocate for herself […]

03/02/24

August 23, 2023 Welcome to Elizabeth Mazer! Liz has been a part of our organization for the past few years ever since her nephew, Barrett, was born with bilateral microtia and atresia. I have to say that Liz is an AMAZING person and I am so happy to have her in my life and to […]

03/02/24

June 13, 2023 Meet Noelle! Noelle is an amazing advocate in our community! She was born with Microtia and Atresia of her right ear. She has not had reconstructive surgery, nor is she aided with a hearing device. And yet, she is an amazing ROCK STAR! Many of us in our community know her as […]

01/15/24

            The Gross Family Foundation donated more than $18 million to 67 non-profits and charities in 2023, the most recipients ever in a single year for the Gross Family Foundation! “Jennifer, Jeff and I are pleased to continue our tradition of giving to organizations that provide immeasurable benefits to the […]

05/20/23

TODAY IS EAR COMMUNITY’S 13TH BIRTHDAY! Thirteen beautiful years of paving the way for Microtia and Atresia families, advocacy and awareness and so much more! On May 20th, 2010, I sat down at my laptop and decided to make a difference in the world by helping other families just like ours. We’ve come a long […]

05/13/23

During the first week of May, the CARE Study Research Team attended the ACPA, American Cleft Palate Association, conference in Raleigh, North Carolina! Our CARE Team has been working on our grant project for the past four years and was finally able to come together in person! Our research team did an amazing job at […]

05/10/23

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month! What better way to embrace this month of awareness than to help give back by helping someone in need with the gift of hearing! Meet Eddie! Eddie lives in Washington state and was born with Grade IV microtia and aural atresia. Early on during childhood, Eddie had four […]

04/27/23

Bone Anchored Awareness Day is coming up on May 3rd! Also known as “good vibrations day”! Bone Anchored Awareness Day is a day that our community recognizes bone conduction technology – the very technology that our community members benefit from in regards to the option for restoring conductive hearing loss, among other types of hearing […]

04/26/23

“Ally’s Act” is a National level bipartisan bicameral bill inspired by 13-year-old, Ally Tumblin, that would Expand Access to Specialized Hearing Devices through insurance Here’s how to advocate for this piece of legislation! On March 30th, 2023, Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) re-introduced Ally’s Act, H.R. 2439, along side Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Mike Thompson […]

04/25/23

Ear Community hosts picnics every year around the world helping bring Microtia and Atresia families together. This year’s picnics will take place in the United States in San Mateo, California/ Raleigh, North Carolina/ Plano, Texas/ Brookline, Massachusetts/ Nashville, Tennessee/ and Hamilton, Ontario Canada! It is very exciting for many families! Everyone enjoys attending our picnics […]

04/14/23

        Capito Reintroduces Ally’s Act Legislation would require insurance providers to cover critical and life-altering hearing devices April 14th, 2023 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently reintroduced Ally’s Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure private insurance companies provide coverage for osseointegrated hearing devices (OIDs), including bone anchored hearing […]

04/11/23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 30, 2023 Contact: Hannah Rehm Hannah.Rehm@mail.house.gov Rep. Neguse Reintroduces “Ally’s Act,” Bipartisan Bill Inspired By 13-Year-Old Constituent, to Expand Access to Specialized Hearing Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) announced the introduction of “Ally’s Act,” H.R. 2439, his bicameral, bipartisan legislation to ensure private insurance companies cover osseointegrated hearing […]

04/10/23

On January 30th, 2023, the Ear Community Organization launched a new hearing health care program, called Pax’s Ear Fund, that is helping give the gift of hearing in many ways! Since the launch of the new hearing health program, three children in the microtia and aural atresia community have already benefited from this wonderful fund! […]

03/08/23

Meet Emma! Emma is a sweet little girl who was born with microtia and aural atresia of her left ear, with varying degrees of bilateral hearing loss. Did I mention that she is also an amazing competitive dancer, enjoys listening to music and carrying on with her friends? Emma was in need of a hearing […]

03/03/23

Today is WORLD HEARING DAY! The theme for World Hearing Day is “Ear and Hearing Care for All”!   Hearing health care for the microtia and aural atresia community is very important! In honor of World Hearing Day and everyday – Ear Community helps give back to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in […]

02/23/23

News provided by Cochlear Limited Feb 22, 2023, 08:27 ET Cochlear further supports Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA) standard to enable direct streaming from Fire TV devices to a Cochlear™ hearing implant for the first time. LONE TREE, Colo., Feb. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Ahead of International Cochlear Implant Day (February 25, 2023), Cochlear […]

02/02/23

    February 1st, 2023 — Pax’s Ear Fund is a hearing health reimbursement program offered through Ear Community that allows audiologists to be reimbursed for fitting/programming services when patients are denied coverage for this service by their insurance provider leaving them unable to pay the fee or high deductible at the time of the […]

01/30/23

Ear Community is proud to launch Pax’s Ear Fund Pax’s Ear Fund is a hearing health reimbursement program offered through Ear Community that allows audiologists to be reimbursed for fitting/programming services when patients are denied coverage for this service by their insurance provider leaving them unable to pay the fee or high deductible at the […]

01/17/23

        A special thank you to the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation for it’s amazing support to the Ear Community Organization! I would like to share about a miracle that recently happened to our Ear Community Organization in December. Many know how much Ear Community means to me, as the […]

01/04/23

Here is a super cute video from Cochlear Americas about Cash, and why he enjoys being a Baha Start user! Cash’s family also happens to be one of our beautiful Colorado microtia and atresia families that my family has known for years as a part of our Ear Community. We are so happy for Cash […]

12/20/22

For Immediate Release: EAR COMMUNITY NAMED “2022 TOP-RATED NONPROFIT” by GreatNonprofits Award based on Community Recommendations Broomfield, Colorado  December 20, 2022 –The Ear Community announced today it has been named a “2022 Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading website for community recommendations of charities and nonprofits. Since 2010, Ear Community has paved the way for […]

11/17/22

On Wednesday, November 9th, 2022, National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day was embraced and celebrated throughout the world by promoting awareness and education about the rare congenital anomaly called Microtia and Aural Atresia. Microtia occurs when the outer ears do not fully develop during the first trimester of pregnancy. Aural Atresia occurs when the ear […]

11/09/22

November 9th, 2022 November 9th is National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day, dedicated to spreading hope & knowledge concerning a rare congenital anomaly known as Microtia & Aural Atresia – when the ears do not fully develop during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Microtia derives its name from the Latin terms for little ears or […]

09/28/22

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 […]

08/23/22

On Saturday, August 13th, 2022, Alan Raffauf (VP of Marketing) of Oticon Medical honored Melissa Tumblin of the Ear Community Organization, with the Ambassador Leadership Award in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, recognizing her for her tireless work in the D/HH community for nearly 13 years. Since 2011, Oticon Medical has brought a select group of advocates […]

06/28/22

On Saturday, June 25th, 2022, we had the honor of Congressman Joe Neguse joining us at our Colorado Ear Community picnic in Broomfield! Congressman Neguse was also finally able to meet the Tumblin family in person, especially Ally! Ally Tumblin wrote to Congressman Neguse in May of 2019 during Better Hearing and Speech Month, asking […]

05/27/22

                                      May is Better Hearing and Speech Month – a time to educate and promote awareness about hearing and speech! Meet Nicole Mazer and her sweet son, Barrett! When Barrett was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia, […]

04/27/22

              ASX Announcement 27 April 2022 1 University Avenue Macquarie University NSW 2109  AUSTRALIA www.cochlear.com Cochlear Limited, a global leader in implantable hearing solutions, agrees to acquire Oticon Medical for DKK 850million (approx.AUD170million) following Demant’s decision to exit its hearing implants business activities. As part of the transaction, Cochlear […]

04/27/22

      27.4.2022 08:01:11 CEST | Demant A/S | Inside information Company announcement no 2022-09 27 April 2022 Demant intends to divest its Hearing Implants business, while ensuring lifelong support of existing patients. Demant has negotiated an agreement with the intention to divest its Hearing Implants business, Oticon Me-dical, to Cochlear Limited for a […]

03/31/22

INTRODUCING – The Ponto 5 SuperPower by Oticon Medical! March, 31, 2022 _______________________________________________ Oticon Medical proudly reveals the newest member of the Ponto family – the Ponto 5 SuperPower, the newest powerful hero! – Small, powerful and packed with breakthrough technology, Ponto 5 SuperPower gives you constant access to clear, detailed, 360° sound for the […]

03/11/22

Meet nine-year-old Paula from Denver, Colorado! Paula was born with Microtia and Aural Atresia, leaving her with conductive hearing loss in her right ear. Originally from Mexico, Paula’s family moved to the United States in 2018. Now that Paula is nine, her parents noticed she seemed to be struggling more with her hearing loss. With […]

02/09/22

Meet Tamara from Scarborough, Ontario! Tamara is a sweet, happy little girl excited to be in school and learn all that she can! Tamara was born with Microtia and Atresia of her right ear. Now that Tamara is seven years old starting elementary school, Tamara noticed she was struggling to hear well in the school […]

02/09/22

    H.R. 477, Ally’s Act, is a bicameral/bipartisan federal bill that would ensure private insurers cover medically necessary bone-anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants for children and adults, ages birth through 64 years. Bone anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants address unique corrective requirements for specific forms of hearing loss, and are typically the […]

01/10/22

Somerset, NJ 1/5/2022 12:00:00 AM Introducing full SuperPower strength in the smallest SuperPower device ever available The FDA has cleared the new Ponto 5 SuperPower sound processor, which will be available for sale in spring 2022. This product marks the first time that the revolutionary open sound experience will be available in a bone anchored […]

01/07/22

Yesterday, January 6th, 2022, our community said goodbye to a legendary surgeon who specialized in Microtia repair, Dr Satoru Nagata. Dr. Nagata revolutionized microtia ear reconstruction through his own individual technique known as the “Nagata Technique”. His technique helped shorten the number of stages of surgery needed for rib graft surgery among many other improvements […]

11/20/21

  Saturday, November 20th, 2021 By Brooklyn Dance | bdance@prairiemountainmedia.com | Melissa Tumblin longs for the day that people with microtia and atresia are treated just like anyone else. Melissa’s daughter Ally was born without a right ear and uses a bone-anchored hearing aid to hear. For more than a decade, Melissa has dedicated her […]

11/10/21

                    On Tuesday, November 9th, 2021, the Ear Community Organization celebrated its 6th National Microtia Awareness Day, but this year was extra special! The Founders of the Ear Community Organization, Ally and Melissa Tumblin, wanted to make the awareness day more complete. The Tumblin Family originally […]

11/10/21

November 9th, 2021 Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), Congressman David McKinley (R-WV) Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced a resolution calling for November 9th to be recognized as National Microtia and Atresia Awareness Day. Congressman Neguse is also championing legislation, titled Ally’s Act, named after his constituent Ally Tumblin, […]

10/13/21

Cochlear announces FDA approval and FDA clearance of first-of-its-kind Remote Care capabilities for Nucleus and Baha Systems Remote Assist allows remote programming, processor setting adjustments and counselling via a live video session Upcoming availability for Cochlear Nucleus 7, Kanso 2 and Baha 6 Max Sound Processors Part of Cochlear’s investment in Connected Care technology, enabling […]

09/23/21

Copenhagen, Denmark – September 15, 2021  More sound to the brain Oticon Medical is excited to announce the launch of Ponto 5 Mini – the first style in the new Ponto 5 family. With its revolutionary approach to feedback, this new sound processor takes the open sound experience, first introduced with the groundbreaking OpenSound NavigatorTM, […]

09/21/21

Meet Krystyl Wooten from San Jose, California! Krystyl was born with Microtia and Aural Atresia of her right ear. She is excited to embark on her college career through William Jessup University with an anticipation graduation date in 2025! While growing up, Krystyl says she has experienced some difficult times like not being able to […]

08/30/21

Meet Willard! Willard was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia and lives in Savannah, Georgia. Willard is 63 years old and has struggled all of his life with hearing loss. After visiting with an Otolaryngologist in 2020, he was informed about a bone anchored hearing device and how this hearing device could be surgically implanted […]

08/23/21

Meet Owen Poling, a Chinese-American from Lancaster, Ohio! Owen graduated from Bloom-Carroll High School this past May and is looking forward to attending Albion College this fall in Michigan. Owen was born with Microtia and Atresia of his right ear. In Owen’s application letter, he spoke about growing up over the years and enduring stares […]

05/18/21

Meet Leonardo, a sweet 4-year-old that lives in Denver, Colorado. Leo was born with Microtia and Aural Atresia of his left ear. After Leo didn’t pass his newborn hearing screening, it was suggested to his mother, Yocelin, that he would hear better with a bone anchored hearing device. When he was a baby, Yocelin tried […]

05/06/21

Two years ago (2019), during Better Hearing and Speech Month, Ally Tumblin brought home a homework assignment that gave her some options on how to help give back to the community. Some options included cleaning up the community you live in, volunteering with a local nonprofit along with the option to write to a local […]

04/29/21

In collaboration,The Brånemark Osseointegration Center together with Neoss and supported by The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) and The European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) are proud to present the 1st Global Osseointegration Day, which honors Per-Ingvar Brånemark, father of osseointegration, and will be held annually on his birthday, May 3rd. May 3rd is meant to […]

04/26/21

Bone Anchored Awareness Day May 3rd will be the first ever annual Bone Anchored Awareness Day. Copenhagen 4/14/2021 12:00:00 AM Oticon Medical initiates this annually recurring awareness day “Good Vibrations” to celebrate bone anchored hearing as a treatment and to create more awareness about this treatment.Today over 250,000 people – from all over the globe […]

04/11/21

Please help make Ally’s Act the law, H.R. 477 and S. 41 Two years ago, during May 2019, Ally Tumblin, wrote a letter to Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO) during Better Hearing and Speech Month as part of a community homework assignment, explaining how the hearing device she hears with is often not covered by private […]

03/10/21

On March, 10th, 2021, the Ear Community Organization welcomed it’s newest Advisory Board Member, George Scott. George comes to us as an Executive who has worked in Digital and Mobile Technologies related to sports for 20+ years. He became interested in supporting EarCommunity.org after being inspired by Ally’s story on CNN and all that she […]

03/08/21

– The Baha 6 Max Sound Processor has a fitting range of up to 55 dB SNHL in the same small size as the industry’s current 45 dB devices. – It is also the first bone conduction sound processor to offer direct streaming from Apple and Android devices, as well as many other new features. […]

02/08/21

By Brooklyn Dance | bdance@prairiemountainmedia.com | PUBLISHED: February 5, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. | UPDATED: February 5, 2021 at 5:29 p.m. BROOMFIELD, CO – February 5, 2021: Melissa Tumblin and daughter Ally, hold the letters to and from Joe Neguse. Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse reintroduced legislation in January titled Ally’s Act, a bill inspired by […]

02/08/21

Feb 2, 2021 Worry-free, safe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with MED-EL cochlear, middle ear or bone conduction implants – now with lifetime guarantee! For immediate access to an MRI examination without surgery, discomfort or hearing downtime. February 02, 2021– (Innsbruck, Austria) – The innovative design of the implant magnets from MED-EL is completely safe during an […]

02/01/21

Meet Allan De Leon who is 2 years old and was born with Microtia and Atresia of his right ear, including Craniofacial Microsomia. Allan and his family live in Maryland after recently relocating from Guatemala. Allan’s family was unable to provide a permanent bone conduction hearing device of any kind for him due to financial […]

01/28/21

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) re-introduced Ally’s Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure private insurance companies provide coverage for osseointegrated hearing devices (OIDs), including bone anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) and cochlear implants. OIDs are a type of hearing aid that benefit a wide range of hearing loss victims […]

01/28/21

January 27, 2021 Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Joe Neguse, announced the reintroduction of “Ally’s Act,” his bicameral, bipartisan legislation to require private insurance companies to cover osseointegrated hearing devices (“OIDs”), including bone anchored hearing aids (“BAHA”) and cochlear implants. The bill was inspired by Ally, an 11-year-old from Broomfield, Colorado, who was born without a right […]

01/12/21

Intelligent Sound Adapter 2.0 automatically detects, optimizes settings to match environment January 6, 2021 – (DURHAM, NC) – MED-EL USA, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, today announced the launch of the SAMBA 2, a next-generation audio processor for the BONEBRIDGE Bone Conduction System, which includes the recently launched BCI 602. BCI 602 is an […]

12/23/20

Christmas miracles do happen, even during a pandemic in 2020! Here is a heartwarming story about the love and advocacy of one West Virginia family for their son. Meet the Shear family! Katie and Andrew Shear’s son, JJ, was born this summer – a shining moment during this extraordinarily challenging year. Prior to JJ being […]

12/02/20

Experiencing a global public health emergency has prompted us all to do the very best we can to continue to support the communities we serve. During COVID-19, MED-EL has introduced a special program to provide prompt access to sound for candidates for a bone conduction system. We have found that training the recipient and family […]

11/26/20

by DANIELLE DINDAK  – Wednesday, November 25th 2020 CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — Parents will do anything to give their children a healthy and normal life, but for one Charleston family it has been an uphill battle. “You love them more than anything in the world and you’re willing to do anything for them,” Katie Shear […]

11/13/20

November 9th is National Microtia Awareness Day! Microtia is a congenital birth anomaly that occurs when one or both ears do not fully develop or are physically missing. Microtia is often accompanied by Aural Atresia – when the ear canals are underdeveloped or absent, resulting in hearing loss. Many children have associated craniofacial challenges, known […]

10/28/20

National Microtia Awareness Day is November 9th! Think of the number 9 as the shape of an ear. NMAD was established by the Ear Community Organization five years ago to help promote education and awareness about Microtia (missing and underdeveloped ears) & Aural Atresia (missing ear canals, resulting in hearing loss). Some of our children […]

10/28/20

Somerset 10/23/2020 12:00:00 AM Oticon Medical is pleased to announce the launch of its new blog, Hearing Implant Updates for Professionals, which will provide topics of interest to hearing healthcare and other medical professionals. Oticon Medical has launched a new blog, Hearing Implant Updates for Professionals. The blog has been designed as an added way […]

10/08/20

New public health campaign seeks to establish a simple health metric to define normal hearing to better monitor hearing loss, refer for treatment NEWS PROVIDED BY Cochlear Limited  Oct 07, 2020, 09:12 ET LONE TREE, Colo., Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, launches the Hearing 20/20 campaign, a […]

09/20/20

National Microtia Awareness Day is on November 9th! National Microtia Awareness Day started in 2016 and was established by our Ear Community Organization! The purpose of National Microtia Awareness Day is to help promote public awareness of Microtia & Atresia. Our hope is that families who have new babies born with Microtia & Atresia will […]

09/13/20

By Ripon Advance News Service  |  September 11, 2020   U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Sept. 8 proposed bipartisan legislation that would require private insurance companies to provide coverage for hearing aids. “Many of us take for granted the gift of hearing and how often we rely on our senses to effectively communicate with one another,” […]

09/13/20

September 09, 2020 Warren, Capito Introduce Ally’s Act Legislation would require insurance providers to cover critical and life-altering hearing aid devices Bill Text (PDF) | One-Pager (PDF) Washington, D.C. – United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced Ally’s Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure private insurance companies provide coverage for […]

08/24/20

The year 2020 has been a year of changes. It seems like every week there is something new going on in the world. Ear Community has been working tirelessly to continue supporting the Microtia and Atresia community throughout the uncertainty of this year. We were so thrilled when we received the application letter for our […]

08/20/20

Oticon Medical (A Demant Company)- A company founded on care Over 116 years ago, Hans Demant set out to help his wife, Camilla Louise Demant, who had hearing loss. Passionate to help his hearing-impaired wife, Hans Demant purchased a hearing instrument for her after learning that the Danish born Queen Alexandra of England was wearing […]

08/17/20

Many of you may not know about the history of Cochlear Americas! The inspiration for Cochlear’s mission came many years ago when a young Professor Graeme Clark saw his father struggle with hearing loss and proclaimed he wanted to “fix ears.” Professor Graeme Clark later went on to invent the first multi-channel cochlear implant! His […]

07/14/20

Cynthia S.’ son James was born with microtia and atresia. After a few solutions that did not work, Cynthia was at her wits’ end. Luckily, Cynthia was able to find pure joy of finally helping her child hear with the Cochlear™ Baha® Implant and Baha 5 Sound Processor. James was born with microtia and atresia. […]

07/10/20

2020 Ear Community Microtia and Atresia Summer Family Picnics Ear Community hosts picnics every year around the world helping bring Microtia and Atresia families together.  This year’s picnics will take place in the United States in Richmond, Virginia/ Houston, Texas/ Mesa, Arizona/ Nashville, Tennessee/ Palo Alto, California/ Cranberry, Pennsylvania and Hamilton, Ontario – Canada!  It is […]

06/04/20

Hearing loss in children July 18, 2019 – by Cara Lippitt Britney T.’s son, Myles, was born with an ear malformation at birth. After Myles was slipping behind with annunciating sounds, his parents acted fast to get him a Cochlear™ Baha® 5 Sound Processor. Eager to celebrate his sound processor, Britney got a tattoo that […]

05/20/20

Today, May 20, 2020, our Ear Community Organization turns 10 years old! IT’S BEEN A DECADE! Ten years ago today, months after my youngest daughter, Ally, was born with Grade III Microtia and Aural Atresia of her right ear, I sat down at my laptop and decided to start a support group for Microtia and […]

05/04/20

Meet Isabella, Ear Community’s newest bone anchored hearing aid recipient! Isabella lives in New Jersey with her family, originally moving from Venezuela. She is 8 years old and was born with bilateral Microtia and Aural Atresia. As Isabella started school, she began struggling with her hearing due to having hearing loss in both ears. As […]

03/24/20

Last week, on March 17th, this sweet little girl in Denver, CO received the gift of hearing from our Ear Community Organization! Meet Naomi Haagenson! Both of Naomi’s Cochlear Americas Baha 5 bone anchored hearing aids broke within one week of each other. Our organization saw the need to help Naomi and wanted to help […]

03/04/20

Ear Community is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that helps Microtia and Atresia families around the world. Ear Community is proud to host six family picnics in the United States this year! Microtia and Atresia, Hemifacial Microsomia, Goldenhar Syndrome, and Treacher Collins families…please join us! Our summer picnics provide a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together […]

03/03/20

BONE CONDUCTION IMPLANTS March 3, 2020 – by Cara Lippitt The Osia System is a first-of-its-kind hearing implant system for people with SSD, conductive or mixed hearing loss. Centennial, Colo. (December 11, 2019) — Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, announces today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of the new Cochlear™ Osia® 2 System. […]

03/02/20

Ear Community would like to introduce you to Kuauhtemoc Gonzalez, a college Freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Kuauhtemoc was born with Microtia and Atresia of his right ear as well as severe color blindness. Growing up in California with his parents and two younger brothers, Kuauhtemoc was surrounded by friends and family […]

02/24/20

The Ear Community Organization began advocating in February of 2019 for hearing device insurance coverage. There are many people who have come together to help advocate for hearing device insurance coverage with Ear Community. Both, Rachel (Ear Community Board Member) and Melissa Tumblin (Ear Community Founder) diligently worked together on this bill along the side […]

02/19/20

Broomfield Endorses Rep Neguse Bill to Ensure Health Insurance Coverage of Hearing Devices Ally’s Act seeks to increase access to specialized hearing devices Washington D.C.—The city and county of Broomfield, CO has pledged its support for Ally’s Act, a bipartisan bill that ensures private insurance companies provide coverage for osseointegrated hearing devices (OIDs) – including […]

02/19/20

The Ear Community Organization is pleased to introduce our first College Scholarship applicant of 2020, Owen Jarvis! Owen is a college freshman at Marshall University in West Virginia. Owen was born with Right Microtia and Atresia and he said that growing up looking ‘different’ – he was treated like an outsider. But he prevailed and […]

01/11/20

Please support Ally’s Act and make it the law! Ally’s Act, H.R. 5485 Ally’s Act, H.R. 5485 is a national level bill that was introduced on December 18th, 2019 ensuring that private insurance companies provide coverage for osseointegrated hearing devices (“OIDs”), including Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (“BAHA”) and Cochlear Implants (“CIs”). So many of us have had […]

12/31/19

AND, THAT’S A WRAP FOR 2019! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE AS WE WELCOME 2020! As we take a look back at all that our Ear Community Organization did in 2019, we made a HUGE positive impact on our community both here in the US and around the world. We kicked off the year with […]

12/29/19

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse advocates for insurance coverage Ally Tumblin cradles her cat Chai Dec. 18 at her Broomfield home. (Photo: Jennifer Rios / Broomfield Enterprise) By JENNIFER RIOS | jrios@prairiemountainmedia.com | Broomfield Enterprise PUBLISHED: December 20, 2019 at 2:53 pm | UPDATED: December 20, 2019 at 3:05 pm Ally Tumblin, a 10-year-old Broomfield girl who was born without her right ear […]

12/20/19

December 20, 2019  Press Release Washington, D.C.—Today Congressman Joe Neguse, who represents Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District and serves as a member of House Leadership, introduced legislation, co-lead by Congressman David McKinley (R-WV) and Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA), to ensure that private insurance companies provide coverage for osseointegrated hearing devices (“OIDs”), including bone anchored hearing aids (“BAHA”) […]

12/17/19

Optimized active transcutaneous technology with award-winning design available early 2020 December 11, 2019 – (DURHAM, NC) – MED-EL USA announced today the launch of the BCI 602, the second generation implant for the revolutionary BONEBRIDGE Bone Conduction Implant System at OSSEO2019: the 7th International Congress on Bone Conduction Hearing and Related Technologies in Miami Beach, Fla. […]

12/13/19

The Osia System is a first-of-its-kind hearing implant system for people with SSD, conductive or mixed hearing loss News provided by Cochlear Limited Dec 11, 2019, 08:00 ET CENTENNIAL, Colo., Dec. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, announces today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) […]

11/11/19

November 9th is National Microtia Awareness Day! Microtia is a congenital birth defect that occurs when one or both ears do not fully develop or are physically missing. Microtia is often accompanied by Aural Atresia – when the ear canals are underdeveloped or absent, resulting in hearing loss. Many children have associated craniofacial challenges, known […]

11/11/19

Contributed by Debbie Clason, staff writer, Healthy Hearing Last updated November 8, 2019 Microtia is a rare birth defect in which the external ear is not completely developed. It affects about one of every 5,000 to 7,000 babies born annually. Microtia is a rare condition that causes missing or underdeveloped ears.  Microtia usually occurs with atresia, also known […]

11/01/19

On Saturday, September 21st, 2019, the Ear Community Organization and it’s Founder, Melissa Tumblin, were spotlighted in a presentation at the Stanford Medicine X Change conference, presented by well respected community leader and entrepreneur, Liz Presson, Founder and CEO of Pursuit. There’s some serious power behind female patient advocates and is a topic that @lizpresson […]

10/17/19

Ear Community is so very happy to introduce our newest Cochlear Americas Baha 5 recipient, William Shafer, a sweet 3-year-old who lives in Arizona with his parents Jennifer and Benjamin; as well as his three siblings. When William was born, his parents soon discovered that he had a condition called Treacher Collins Syndrome. This condition […]

10/01/19

National Microtia Awareness Day is on November 9th! We look forward to helping raise awareness with so many of you everywhere on National Microtia Awareness Day! The purpose of National Microtia Awareness Day is to help promote public awareness about Microtia and Atresia. As the mother of a child who has Microtia and Atresia, and […]

10/01/19

Ear Community is pleased to introduce you to the beautiful Gabrielle E. Ayala-Montgomery, our second College Scholarship applicant for the year! Gabrielle reached out to us this Summer and shared a little with us about her desire to become a lawyer. Gabrielle was born with Microtia and Aural Atresia of her left ear as well […]

10/01/19

Often times Ear Community works with various early intervention services, and other professionals who support children with Microtia and Atresia. This past Summer, a school nurse, Danielle Vukadinovich, reached out to us in an effort to help one of the students at the school she works at. Brian Campos Valladares, a 9-year-old boy with Bilateral […]

10/01/19

Ear Community would like to extend a special thank you to UPS of Kentucky and to Melissa and James McClellan for their generous donation. James McClellan works for UPS and his family decided to apply for a grant through his employer for Ear Community on behalf of their son, Jamison, who has Microtia and Atresia. […]

09/21/19

September 19th and 20th, 2019 – On September 19th, Founder and Executive Director of the Ear Community Organization, Melissa Tumblin, met with Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David McKinley (R-WV), both of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus, and Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), from Melissa’s home state, to advocate for hearing device insurance coverage for bone […]

08/20/19

Ear Community is honored to introduce you to an extraordinary young man named, Josh Brodie, our first college scholarship recipient for 2019!  Josh was born in China and adopted by his parents 16 years ago. When Josh was growing up, a surgeon suggested he look into getting prosthetic ears for his bilateral Microtia and Atresia.  […]

08/07/19

                                      Ear Community is pleased to introduce you to Ryle Austin Rabaya who lives in the Philippines with his mother, Arlyn, and his father. Austin is only one year old, his birthday was in June. He was […]

08/07/19

In the early days of 2012, I knew nothing about Microtia and Atresia.  The day my daughter, Rosalee, was born changed all of that.  Rosalee was born via c-section.  After she was born, my husband went with the nurses to check her, count fingers and toes, all the things.  It was then that they noticed […]

07/31/19

On Saturday, July 20th, 2019, Vanderbilt University Medical Center hosted the 4th Annual Microtia and Atresia educational conference at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. We had nearly 100 parents and individuals join us this year at our MAC (Microtia Atresia Clinic) conference. Attendees learned about all of the options available for Microtia and Atresia and […]

07/31/19

Nashville, TN On Saturday, July 20th, the Ear Community Organization and Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Microtia and Atresia Clinic hosted their 4th Annual Microtia and Atresia picnic together with nearly 200 attendees. Everyone enjoyed a lovely picnic day at the Vanderbilt University recreation center where the kids enjoyed getting their faces painted, balloon art, a […]

07/12/19

            On Wednesday, July 10th, Ear Community Board Member Rachel Songy met with Congressman David McKinley and his Deputy Chief Of Staff, Chris Buki to discuss bone anchored hearing device insurance coverage. Rachel shared with them that she was born with Microtia and Atresia and requires the use of a […]

06/26/19

Wednesday – June 26th, 2019                       Ear Community Founder, Melissa Tumblin (and her children Hailey and Ally) along with Samantha Sclafani (and her children Wyatt and Tatum) had the opportunity to meet with Drs. Jon and Christine Seidman of Seidman Labs at Harvard Medical School […]

05/30/19

Ear Community is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that helps Microtia and Atresia families around the world. Ear Community is proud to host six family picnics in the United States this year! Microtia and Atresia, Hemifacial Microsomia, Goldenhar Syndrome, and Treacher Collins families…please join us! Our summer picnics provide a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come […]

05/30/19

In 2009, Melissa Tumblin’s daughter, Ally, was born with her right ear only partially formed with no sign of an obvious ear canal. Diagnosed with microtia and atresia, Melissa was frustrated and confused by the lack of information and support available to her family. Read how Melissa’s passion to find answers and fight for her […]

05/14/19

May 13, 2019 New Oticon Medical Ponto 4 Brings Open and Balanced Sound Experience to Bone Anchored Users For the First Time Share: Groundbreaking Sound Processor Is The Smallest Bone Anchored Device On The Market SOMERSET, NJ   May 13 – Oticon Medical announced today that it has obtained 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration […]

05/08/19

On Thursday, May 2nd, in Denver, CO, Alyssa Tumblin, Co-Founder of the Ear Community Organization, was honored as a HearStrong Champion by President, Ed Keller, of the HearStrong Foundation. Ally was recognized for being an amazing advocate for helping educate other children who also have hearing loss and helping them realize that they are not […]

05/08/19

        EMBARGOED UNTIL MAY 1, 2019 AT 9:00 AM ET Media Contacts Renee Oehlerking Leslie Humbel Cochlear Americas Edelman 303-264-2104 312-729-1781 roehlerking@cochlear.com leslie.humbel@edelman.com Survey reveals hearing loss can significantly affect relationships and families in the U.S. State of Hearing Report highlights the physical, emotional and societal challenges of hearing loss Centennial, Colo. […]

04/23/19

Sometimes, children are born without one or both ears due to a congenital birth defect, known as Microtia. Hearing loss can also be associated due to underdeveloped or absent ear canals, known as Aural Atresia. In addition to Microtia and Atresia, some children may also be born with facial challenges, where one side of the […]

04/08/19

Meet Karl Walsh, a little boy who was born with Microtia of his left ear along with hearing loss due to Aural Atresia. As Karl’s speech and vocabulary came in over the years, Karl’s mom, Gertie Walsh, began to realize that her son was struggling with his hearing. Gertie did her research and discovered that […]

03/07/19

The Ear Community Organization had another successful year at the EHDI (Early Hearing Detection Hearing) Meeting in Chicago this week! This was Ear Community’s fourth time being an exhibitor at EHDI and the only organization to educate on educate about all options for Microtia and Atresia and on Microtia and Atresia in general. We helped […]

02/14/19

Quinn “Twinkles” Marie Kougl was three years old, full of sass and attitude, and was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome. Quinn enjoyed playing with her big sister, Nora, and her big brother, Cody, everyday. Quinn was known by many through her family and friends, and the Tour Of Kindness where her mom, Justine, and Quinn would […]

02/14/19

Ear Community is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that helps Microtia and Atresia families around the world. Ear Community is proud to host six family picnics in the United States this year! Microtia and Atresia, Hemifacial Microsomia, Goldenhar Syndrome, and Treacher Collins families…please join us! Our summer picnics provide a wonderful opportunity for everyone to come together […]

02/05/19

Ear Community is honored to introduce you to Eisen Witcher, a local hero who lives along the East coast of Florida with his lovely wife, Jessica, and their adorable son, Izaak. Eisen was born with grade 3 Microtia and Atresia of his left ear. When he was only three years old, he began the journey […]

02/03/19

On, Saturday night, January 26th, Dr. Leslie Gonsette of the Alaska Hospitalist Group, hosted The Community Wide Medical Staff Ball in Anchorage. The physician’s ball was a hit thanks to the collaborations of Providence Alaska Medical Center, Alaska Regional Hospital, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and Alaska Native Medical Center! Over 180 people attended with nearly […]

01/30/19

I will always remember the day when I met Dianne Goberis. I was a scared mom trying to advocate for my youngest daughter, Ally, who was born with Microtia and hearing loss (due to Aural Atresia). I was looking for a preschool program that would provide my daughter with the help she needed as a […]

01/02/19

Meet Duong, a very sweet little boy who lives in Hanoi, Vietnam who was born with Microtia and Atresia of both of his ears. Duong is almost 3 and lives with his mother, Co, his father, and other family members where they have fought to find resources to help Duong hear his best and have […]

12/31/18

Here is a beautiful story about a professional artist, named Priscila Soares, who creates art that tells the stories about real people who have hearing loss. This year, in recognition of National Microtia Awareness Day, Priscila created an art piece called “Ally is Looking Out for Microtia” – inspired by Ear Community Founder Melissa Tumblin’s daughter, […]

11/21/18

Meet Hazel Shelton, a sweet little 4.5 year old girl who was born with Microtia and Atresia.  Recently, Hazel upgraded to a new hearing device just before moving with her family from the United States to live in the UK.  When it came time for Hazel to upgrade her hearing device, she and her family […]

11/15/18

The months of November and December are the most important months for nonprofits as these are the giving months. Please help support our Ear Community Organization as your charity of choice by making a donation before the end of this year. There are many ways that you can donate: – AmazonSmile is helping give back […]

11/12/18

On Friday, November 9th, 2018, children and adults along with their families, teachers and schools, medical professionals, and many medical facilities and universities all embraced our third annual National Microtia Awareness Day all over the world!  Families everywhere were excited to raise awareness and help educate about Microtia and Atresia at schools through classroom presentations […]

11/08/18

Ear Community is thrilled to introduce you to Estefany Martinez Hernandez, an 8 year old little beauty who lives with her mother in South Carolina.  Earlier this year, Estefany moved to the United States from Honduras and has had an uphill battle ever since. Estefany was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia as well as […]

11/04/18

National Microtia Awareness Day is on November 9th! We look forward to helping raise awareness with so many of you everywhere on National Microtia Awareness Day!   The purpose of National Microtia Awareness Day is to help promote public awareness about Microtia and Atresia.  As the mother of a child who has Microtia and Atresia, and the […]

10/30/18

On October 26th, 2018, country singer, Luke Bryan, wore our Ear Community Microtia awareness wrist band during his concert in Detroit! Our support group member, Katie Davison, gave it to him at his concert and he put our awareness wrist band on!  Katie stated, “Yes!!! That’s Luke Bryan wearing one of the Microtia bracelets!!! We […]

10/30/18

World’s first active bone conduction implant coming to the U.S. market in 2018 BONEBRIDGE Bone Conduction Hearing Implant System from MED-EL USA (Photo: Business Wire) July 24, 2018 10:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MED-EL USA announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted de novo clearance for the BONEBRIDGE™ bone […]

10/18/18

In recognition of National Microtia Awareness Day, The Ear Community Organization and the Tumblin Family is honored to discover that Priscila Soares, (a professional artist in California) has created a beautiful art piece of a little girl with Microtia and Atresia, named “Ally is looking out for Microtia” to represent the Tumblin’s daughter, Ally, and […]

09/20/18

Meet Myles Tankersley from Moblie, Alabama.  Myles is four years old and was born with Microtia and Atresia of his right ear.  Recently, Myles’ mom, Britney Tankersley, began to question why her son wasn’t speaking as much and noticed that Myles had some delays in his speech.  Since birth, Myles has been to all of […]

09/13/18

Ear Community is pleased to introduce Rachel Ciarkowski. Rachel is a first-year student in Physical Therapy at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Rachel was born with Microtia and Atresia of her left ear. She has not had reconstructive surgery and is unaided.  Rachel enjoys challenging herself and believes in living the dream. When she […]

09/11/18

On September 11th, 2018, Ear Community Founder, Melissa Tumblin, traveled to the Marion Downs Center in Denver to visit with Dr. Sandra Gabbard (audiologist and President/CEO of the Marion Downs Center) to donate (4) gently used hearing devices to help needy children and adults hear better. (2 bone conduction hearing devices, 1 cochlear implant, and […]

09/11/18

BIG NEWS for our Ear Community Organization and the Microtia and Atresia community – Genetic research….here we come! On August 30th, 2018, the Ear Community Organization received amazing news from Dr. Jon Seidman of Harvard University and of Seidman Labs (at Harvard), that the grant application that was submitted to conduct genetic research on Microtia […]

09/07/18

Meet James Welsh of Roselle, Illinois, a freshman entering his first year of college at Bradley University in Peoria, IL.  James has proven that he comes from a long line of hard-working people. James was born with Microtia and Atresia of his right ear, and even though he has struggled, his hearing loss and Microtia […]

08/16/18

Thank you to all of the families, medical professionals, and to our sponsors who were a part of our Ear Community picnics this year (2018)! Ear Community board members hope that you enjoyed our events and that you were able to learn about the different surgical techniques (Rib Graft and Medpor and canalpasty/atresiaplasty), prosthetic ears, […]

08/01/18

Oticon Medical, a global company in implantable hearing solutions and a member of one of the world’s largest groups of hearing healthcare companies, today announced that John Sparacio has been named as President, Oticon Medical US. (Photo: Business Wire) July 30, 2018 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time SOMERSET, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oticon Medical, a global company in […]

08/01/18

Co-Founders of Ear Community, Hailey (age 11) and Ally (age 8.5) Tumblin and our Ear Community Organization are so excited and proud to be donating toys to the Vanderbilt Microtia and Atresia Clinic! Hailey and Ally are wearing their “Microtia Kids Rock” t-shirts in this picture and are surrounded by lots of NEW toys that […]

06/19/18

This January, the Columbine Figure Skating Club in Colorado was awarded the Prudential “Building Bridges” grant that enabled CFSC to introduce the sport of figure skating to the deaf and hard of hearing community.  Ashley Mikelsen, one of Columbine Figure Skating Club’s coaches, who is deaf, wanted to introduce D/HH children to the sport of figure […]

06/18/18

The Ear Community Organization hosts multiple Microtia and Atresia summer family picnics each summer in the United States and in other countries.  Since 2011, the organization has hosted nearly 50 family and professional events that help educate families on all of the options for Microtia and Atresia, bringing them together to share experiences and so […]

06/14/18

                        The Ear Community Organization is one of the many organizations who is an Alliance Member with the HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America) that help bring community’s together to help raise funds to support loved ones who have hearing loss during their walks.  […]

06/14/18

Happy 114th Birthday to Oticon! ❤️👂🎉🎂🍾🥂🎈🎉🎁👂❤️ Hearing device technology is absolutely amazing and it is even more amazing at how many lives these very hearing devices from Oticon and Oticon Medical that have improved the lives of so many! THANK YOU SO MUCH! 114 years ago Hans Demant set out to help his wife, Camilla Louise […]

05/01/18

Stick. Click. Hear. To view all videos on this page, please visit:  http://www.medel.com/us/adhear The hearing solution you have been looking for has arrived. ADHEAR. This revolutionary bone conduction system is an effortless treatment option for people with conductive hearing loss. The system is non-surgical and will amaze you with its performance, ease-of-use and wearing comfort. Meet […]

05/01/18

DURHAM, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 1, 2018–MED-EL USA, a leading provider of hearing implant solutions, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the next generation of non-surgical bone conduction hearing technology: ADHEAR. This innovation is a non-surgical bone conduction solution for conductive hearing loss. Any problem in the outer or middle ear […]

04/12/18

Ear Community is thrilled to introduce Michael Mitrovich.  Michael is only one year old, and has already had to fight some battles in his short time on this Earth.  He was born very tiny (only 4 pounds!) and was diagnosed with IUGR which is a whole slew of complications including not growing at a normal […]

04/12/18

Meet Sesethu Myakade from South Africa.  Sesethu is 12 years old and was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia. While she is surrounded by much love from her family, she has lost both of her parents in recent years and lives with her Aunt now.  Sesethu struggles to hear her family and friends communicating and […]

04/11/18

            On Monday, March 19th, 2018, Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Executive Director of the Ear Community Organization, was awarded the 2018 Family Leadership Award for EHDI Excellence in Denver, Colorado. Melissa Tumblin is an advocate for promoting educational and public awareness about Microtia/Atresia (M/A) and hearing loss as prompted by […]

04/11/18

                    On March 21st, 2018, Ear Community board members, Melissa Tumblin and Scott Newcomb, raised awareness about Microtia and Atresia at the state capital here in Denver, Colorado.

03/08/18

Ear Community is proud to announce our summer picnic locations for 2018. California Ear Community Picnic Sacramento, California Date:  Saturday, June 23rd, 2018 Time:  11AM to 3PM RSVP to Heidi at:  EarCommunityCaliforniaPicnic@gmail.com Texas Ear Community Picnic El Paso, Texas Date:  Saturday, July 21st, 2018 Time:  11AM to 3PM RSVP to Heidi at:  EarCommunityELPasoPicnic@gmail.com Tennessee Ear […]

03/02/18

On Monday, February 26th, 2018, Ear Community members went before the FDA during a listening session to share our stories about Microtia and Atresia, asking for any newer technology for ears to be approved sooner than later. We shared our stories of worry, fear, concern, bullying, job discrimination, surgical complications, low self esteem and lack […]

01/22/18

January 22, 2018 Media Contact Renee Oehlerking Cochlear Americas 303-264-2104 roehlerking@Cochlear.com The new non-surgical bone conduction wearing option is designed for children who are not yet eligible or ready for an implant but need the first step to hearing Centennial, Colo. (January 22, 2018) – Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), the world leader in implantable hearing solutions, […]

12/24/17

Here is a warm story for the holidays…helping share the joy of being able to come together with other families who are in the same situation with Microtia and Atresia and realizing that you are not alone.  This is what Ear Community is all about and how our board members can also help other families. […]

11/22/17

On Thursday, November 9th, 2017, the Ear Community Organization celebrated it’s Second Annual National Microtia Awareness Day that took place throughout the United States.  Families from all over were excited to raise awareness and help educate about Microtia and Atresia at schools, parties, the work place, and more.  Many medical professionals from Microtia and Atresia […]

11/22/17

Someone once asked Melissa Tumblin, Founder and Executive Director of Ear Community, how can I help you?  Melissa responded, “I would like to help children who are deaf and hard of hearing, hear better.”  Melissa explained how she and her husband, Brent, inquired about a hearing device for their own daughter when she was born, […]

11/16/17

On Wednesday, November 15th, 2017, at 6pm in Broomfield, Colorado, the Ear Community Organization was fortunate to bring families and their children together from a local elementary school to view the prescreening of the movie, “Wonder.”  Thanks to an anonymous donor, Ear Community was given the opportunity to buyout two theaters for families with children […]

11/16/17

On Tuesday, November 14th, 2017, Ear Community was one of nearly 40 foundations and advocates from all over the country who joined together for the 1st Kids First Patient User Workshop meeting at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health.  Representatives from the attending nonprofits shared their thoughts and […]

11/02/17

National Microtia Awareness Day is just 1 week away, November 9th! We look forward to helping raise awareness with so many of you all over the world, even though our awareness day is a National Day here in the United States. Everyone is welcome to join together just like so many did last year, everywhere. […]

11/02/17

AudiologyOnline: Interview with Melissa Tumblin November 1, 2017 Question What is National Microtia Awareness Day?  How can audiologists support this initiative? Answer Melissa Tumblin: National Microtia Awareness Day is November 9th each year in the United States.  It started in 2016. The purpose of National Microtia Awareness Day to help promote public awareness of microtia and atresia.  As the mother […]

10/10/17

Meet Naven R. Osic.  Navin is a five-year-old boy who was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia. Naven lives with his mother, Donna and step-father in a small room in the Philippines.  When Donna was pregnant with Naven, she made sure to follow all her doctor’s orders, and be very careful because she wanted her […]

10/09/17

National Microtia Awareness Day is coming up on November 9th!  This is a day for children and adults (and their families) who were born with Microtia and Atresia.  Many schools across the nation will be participating and helping raise awareness with their students.  Parents will be visiting classrooms, speaking about Microtia (underdeveloped or missing outer […]

09/18/17

18 September 2017 Today, Cochlear, the global leader in bone conduction hearing solutions, announced the commercial availability of the new Cochlear™ Baha® SoundArc – a stylish, comfortable and effective device that will allow people to hear like never before. The Baha SoundArc is a new hearing solution for people who live with conductive hearing loss, mixed […]

09/12/17

September 11, 2017 by The Baha Blog administrator Meet the Team The Baha® 5 and Baha® 5 Power sound processors are developed, designed and shipped from Sweden worldwide, but did you know they are also manufactured and assembled here too? The concept, design, development, testing, manufacturing, packing and logistics are all done under one roof! Meet some […]

08/15/17

Stephen Weiss, a CPA in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania was excited to upgrade his current hearing device to a newer model. When Stephen upgraded, he wanted to donate his current hearing device to a charity organization where his hearing device could go on to help someone else hear better. After receiving his new Oticon Medical Ponto […]

08/02/17

Ear Community is honored to introduce everyone to our latest Oticon Medical Ponto 3 Superpower hearing device recipient, adorable Kavya Sharma! Kavya is almost two years old and lives in New Delhi, India with her father Ajay and mother Savita. Kavya was born with bilateral Microtia and Atresia, as well as Hemifacial Microsomia and a […]

07/28/17

Hi Everyone! Our National Microtia Awareness Day bracelets are now available for purchase through our organization’s website at:  www.EarCommunity.org/donate  This is a fund raiser for our organization.  We have a secure link for making a credit card donation.  In the DESCRIPTION LINE, (when you make a donation at our donation link), you can briefly put what you […]

07/28/17

Hi Everyone! Our National Microtia Awareness Day items are now available for purchase through our organization’s website at:  www.EarCommunity.org/donate  This is a fund raiser for our organization.  We have a secure link for making a credit card donation.  In the DESCRIPTION LINE (when you make a donation at our donation link), you can briefly put […]

07/06/17

by Matt Batcheldor | Thursday, Jun. 8, 2017, 10:16 AM Having a child born without an external ear or ear canal can be a scary and confusing experience for parents, and finding medical care for the rare condition has meant having to travel to several distant medical centers for treatment options. But now the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center […]

06/02/17

Ear Community is excited to share this sweet story about a little boy named Malosi Sualua who was born with Left Microtia and Atresia.  Malosi is 4 and lives in Laguna Beach, CA with his two older sisters and parents, Heidi and Leie.  Malosi means “strength” in Samoan and his mother, Heidi, says that the […]

04/05/17

Karen Smith, Executive Director of the Broomfield Community Foundation, is retiring this fall.  Karen was my mentor who guided me and taught me how to run a nonprofit organization, how to run our Ear Community Organization. I will never forget the day when I met with her to tell her about my passion for wanting […]

04/05/17

Ear Community is thrilled to introduce you to Joan Yirenkyi.  Joan is a beauty at 27 years old and lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with her family.  She was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome along with Microtia and Atresia of her left ear and other birth defects.  Being born with craniofacial abnormalities such as Treacher […]

04/05/17

Please meet one of our cutest Ear Community members, Daniel Alejandro, from Mexico.  Daniel was born on July 14th 2014 to his wonderful parents Patricia and Daniel.  From the first moment of his precious life, he was admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit and stayed there for an agonizing two months.  During that time, […]

03/13/17

Ear Community Organization Timeline Some may wonder how does a nonprofit get started.  Here is the timeline story of how the Ear Community Organization became a nonprofit organization after beginning as an online support group. September 2009, Melissa Tumblin’s daughter was born and she couldn’t find the answers she was looking for about why her child […]

03/10/17

AudiologyOnline News Release The mission of AudiologyOnline is to enhance the quality of life for the patients and clients in the care of the professionals we serve. We support this mission by: Providing the most relevant, convenient, and economical continuing education opportunities presented and authored by the leading experts in their respective professions to enhance […]

02/22/17

Ear Community is proud to introduce Mazie Herzing, our newest Baha recipient!  She was born last July and diagnosed with Microtia and Atresia of her right ear and Hemifacial Microsomia.  She lives with her big sister, twin brother, and parents Carly and Shelley in Richmond, Virginia, USA.  When Mazie was first diagnosed, her parents were […]