Girl born without ears to see wish of finally being able to wear earrings come true

After she shared her story in the Courier-Mail, a crowd-funding campaign for groundbreaking surgery is set to make little Harriet’s simple wish to be able to wear earrings come true.

A Brisbane girl born without ears will soon have her dream to wear earrings come true.

In just over a month, five-year-old Harriet Sanders and her parents will fly to Sydney for specialist reconstructive surgery to attach one of her 3D-printed ears.

“We went down about a week ago and had a pre-op appointment with Joe and she got to look at her ears that have been printed off, so she got to hold them and put them up to her head,” mum Anna Sanders said.

“She had a big smile on her face when she saw them for the first time.”

Harriet was born with a physical deformity known as bilateral microtia and atresia, which means she does not have ears or ear canals on either side of her head.

After sharing her story in the Courier-Mail and A Current Affair last year, a crowd-funding campaign for the surgery to give Harriet 3D printed ears has raised its goal of $70,000.

Harriet Saunders is booked in for revolutionary surgery to get replacement ears, Tarragindi. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity from both friends, family and complete strangers. It’s made a huge difference and taken a huge amount of pressure off both myself and Jay to make this happen,” she said.

“We’re also so grateful that there is this technology available in Australia now, rather than have to have to go to the states.”

Ms Sanders said surgeon Dr Joe Dusseldorp had “gone the extra mile” to ensure the ears will be able to be pierced, so that Harriet can wear earrings.

The second surgery to attached the other will likely be early next year, and following recovery, both ears will be able to be pierced.