(Gabriella Demczuk for WSJ) As the RNC nears its close, the ersatz ear bandages, which emerged on the convention's second evening as mere taped-on white strips, reached their final form.

“The goal is to make a better burn bandage for burn victims, just like me," said Essinger. Essinger said during her research, she found a lack of burn bandages that met the industry standard. “Our ...