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Being born with a deformity can impact someone's self-esteem but thanks to this one mom, kids who are born with an ear deformity will now have a chance to get what they've been needing the most.
Microtia affects 1 in every 6,000-8,000 children and its a deformity where the outer ear does not fully develop during pregnancy. Viola Nwadike, who has a son with microtia, started the Give an Ear Foundation to help those in the same situation. The foundation provides hearing aids, a support group, and connects kids with doctors who are able to provide free ear reconstructions.
Dr. Sheryl Lewin, a craniofacial plastic surgeon, has a practice based in Torrance and specializes in fixing failed ear surgeries. She came up with a 3D scanning technology that creates an implant to look exactly like the patient's healthy ear. It is called the Porous Implant Ear Reconstruction (P.I.E.R.) procedure and once discovering this procedure, Lewin ended up creating her own nonprofit called "Earicles" to help patients with ear deformities. The Give An Ear Foundation and Earicles are now teaming up to provide the P.I.E.R. procedure to a child from Africa each year. Head to ABC 7 for more.