‘I don’t feel left out anymore’: Queens teen hears for the first time

NEW YORK - For most of us, hearing is something we rarely think twice about—until it’s something you’ve never had.

FOX 5 NY first introduced viewers to the Little Baby Face Foundation on Good Day New York through the powerful story of a teenager who traveled from Mumbai, India, to New York City to have a large cancerous mole removed.

Now, the story of a 15-year-old high school sophomore from Queens whose wish was simple—but life-changing: to hear.

"I wasn’t confident or comfortable at all. I just felt so left out," said Furugh, who asked that we not use her full name for privacy reasons.

Furugh was born with microtia, a congenital condition that left her without a right ear or an ear canal.

"The people I was around—nobody had this problem but me. I really felt left out," she said. "It doesn’t feel like that anymore."

Thanks to the Little Baby Face Foundation, life has changed dramatically for the Queens teen.

"Ever since I got my ear fixed, I feel more confident and more comfortable," Furugh shared. "I can hear people better now. I don’t have to ask people to repeat themselves."

Doctors used rib cartilage to rebuild a Queens teen’s ear

Dr. Thomas Romo, founder of the Little Baby Face Foundation and Director of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, performed Furugh’s complex reconstruction.

"We harvested rib cartilage from her chest, carved it into the shape of an ear, and placed it on the side of her head through multiple surgeries," Dr. Romo explained. "The final step allowed her to wear glasses."

Soon after, Furugh celebrated a milestone moment—getting her new ear pierced.

"She has beautiful contour to the ear," Dr. Romo said. "This is rib cartilage, and the rest is all artificial."

In addition to reconstructing her ear, doctors also implanted a bone-anchored hearing aid to restore Furugh’s hearing. By downloading an app, she can control the device through her phone.

"If you want to control the device, that’s how it stays in place," said audiologist Dr. Phillip Vazques.

We were there for the emotional moment Furugh heard clearly for the first time.

Furugh is one of nearly 40 children the Little Baby Face Foundation helps each year—completely free of charge. Last year, we shared the journey of another child, Zunairah, who traveled from Mumbai to have a cancerous tumor removed from her chin.

"They go through multiple surgeries to get to where they are," said Dr. Romo. "That makes them courageous and introspective."

"I’m just really thankful to Dr. Romo and Dr. Konan for giving me this opportunity to be able to hear more," Furugh said. "I’m really grateful."

These are complex surgeries. Surgeons with the Little Baby Face Foundation donate their time, often performing procedures during school breaks and holidays.

If you know a child suffering from a facial deformity, contact the Little Baby Face Foundation for help.