As we get closer to the Earicles 2nd Annual Los Angeles Microtia Atresia Conference (LAMAC), I can’t help but think of all of the wonderful stories that came out of LAMAC 2013 and get excited about the new memories that will be created at LAMAC 2014! One story that specifically comes to mind is of the Nelson family Paying It Forward by donating their hearing processor to the Cortez family at the conference. I’ve asked both families to share their beautiful and heartwarming story:
“At the 2013 LAMAC Meet and Greet, my family was talking to the Oticon Medical representatives about the Ponto Pro hearing processor. Adrian Cortez, a 17 year old boy, was also at the table and asked to demo the Ponto Pro device. He tried it on and was so amazed at what he could hear! Adrian has Unilateral Microtia Atresia (UMA) and has never owned a hearing device. As I watched his excitement and heard his joy, my heart was full. I started thinking about our experiences with our 7 year old son, Tyler, and his ability to hear with his BAHA. Tyler has Bilateral Microtia Atresia (BMA) and Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS). He was aided at 5 months old with a Cochlear Divino. Currently, Tyler wears a Cochlear BP100. I got to thinking that we had two Cochlear Divino hearing processors at home and we really didn’t need to have all three. So the idea came to me that our family should donate one of the Divinos to Adrian. I told him we lived close by and that my husband was going to run home to get it. I told him we had a softband as well, but that it was probably too small, but he could have it and use it to make a new headband. When my husband returned with the Divino, Adrian proudly put on the device and his smile was priceless. Throughout the rest of the LAMAC, Adrian could be seen wearing the device. We’ve also become facebook friends and there have been pictures posted of him wearing the device. It was a small act of kindness and it didn’t seem like a sacrifice at all. I feel like we were put in that place at that time to be able to help out and to learn to serve others through kindness.” ~ Jana Nelson, Tyler’s mom
“We are so grateful to Jana for her donation to our son, Adrian. Like I told her, this was a life changer for him and for us as well. He uses his hearing processor mostly in class as he goes to college now. Thanks a million. See you in the summer!” ~ Jose Cortez (Adrian’s father)
The Los Angeles Microtia Atresia Conference is July 11-12, 2014 again at Terranea Resort. To register for LAMAC 2014, please go to www.microtiaearsurgery.com/mac
Left: This photo was taken at the Oticon Medical booth, just before the Nelsons and Cortez families officially met! You can see Jana Nelson (in white on the left with Tyler in orange), Adrian (in star shirt), and Adrian’s mom (white shirt on the right). Adrian’s dad was taking a photo of Adrian trying on a processor for the first time.