FAU Receives $11.5 Million Gift To Combat Life-Threatening Illness

Currently, there is no cure for amyloidosis, a life-threatening disease that can be present throughout the body, including the heart, kidneys, liver and brain. The most common localized form of amyloidosis, which is seen significantly more often, is in the brain. Cerebral amyloidosis, when symptomatic, usually manifests in one of two ways: in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and in brain bleeds, which have consequences such as a stroke.

Because amyloidosis does not affect a specific organ, unraveling the underlying cause of amyloid fibril creation – a hallmark of this disease – is complex and challenging.

A monumental $11.5 million gift from Boca Raton philanthropists Ann and John Wood of the FairfaxWood Scholarship Foundation, will enable Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine to create a game-changing infrastructure that will combat amyloidosis using a collaborative, whole-body approach.

This transformational gift will establish the FairfaxWood Health & Innovation Technology Initiative, which will focus on the FAU Amyloidosis Project. The initiative will be built on a collaboration model comprising clinicians, researchers and world-class institutes. The multi-disciplinary team will work collectively to uncover the root causes of the formation of amyloid fibrils throughout the body, including the brain, which can be difficult to treat.

Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge data science, the initiative will de-silo single organ-focused researchers and clinicians who will conduct research to seek treatments and ultimately find a cure for amyloidosis. In the distant horizon, the unique infrastructure created through this initiative could evolve into a permanent research resource to provide opportunities for vital work on other devastating illnesses.

“We are eternally grateful to Ann and John Wood for their vision, generosity and continued support of our medical school through this extraordinary gift,” said FAU President Stacy Volnick.

“The FairfaxWood Health & Innovation Technology Initiative will transform the way our researchers and clinicians study and treat amyloidosis and other serious medical conditions that require a synergistic approach to improve health and quality of life.”

The $11.5 million gift from the Wood family marks their fourth contribution to FAU’s College of Medicine and follows a $28 million scholarship gift in 2022, in memory of their son Robert A. Wood, to support medical education and to create the opportunity for debt-free tuition for aspiring physicians.

“Philanthropy has an increasingly important role in advancing science and supporting vital research initiatives that have implications for people not just locally but across the globe, especially when it involves an illness or condition that is complex, multifactorial and difficult to treat,” said Ann and John Wood.

“Amyloidosis in particular, is a disease that has personally impacted our family, and why we decided to invest in this initiative to usher in a new era to treat this disease, hopefully find a cure, and most importantly, provide patients with hope.”

An integral component of the current Wood gift is the establishment of the inaugural, endowed “FairfaxWood Chair of Clinical Neurosciences,” who will direct “discovery to cure” initiatives for amyloidosis, and in the future, other identified complex and severe disorders.

Michael R. Dobbs, M.D., has been named the inaugural chair to oversee research, faculty and programs within the medical school’s newly created Clinical Neurosciences Department. As endowed chair, he will spearhead external outreach to build collaborations to identify leaders across the amyloidosis and related diseases spectrum.

“I am both honored and excited to have been selected as the first endowed FairfaxWood Chair of Clinical Neurosciences,” said Dobbs. “As chair, I will work with a team of esteemed researchers and clinicians to gain a deeper understanding of the cause of amyloid fibril creation and how to prevent this amyloid buildup using medical mediations and discovering a means to dissolve existing amyloid fibril deposits.”

Dobbs, an expert in vascular neurology, served most recently as professor and chair of neurology and vice dean of clinical affairs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine, where he also served as chief medical officer of their clinical enterprise. Prior to UTRGV, Dobbs served most recently as associate dean of statewide and clinical initiatives at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and as associate chief medical officer of UK HealthCare, where he led the hospital to become one of the busiest stroke centers in the U.S. while also building a 34 hospital Stroke Network that continues to grow and bring life-saving treatments to underserved regions in Appalachia. Dobbs also has been an institutional principal investigator on multiple clinical trials and has published numerous original research in stroke outcomes and other topics.

“The unique infrastructure that we are establishing will help us to learn about brain amyloid and shared attributes in other organs affected by amyloidosis,” said Julie G. Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., a neurosurgeon, researcher and dean and vice president for medical affairs, FAU College of Medicine. “To accomplish this, we will ensure that the best minds working on the brain collaborate with the best minds working on other organ systems. Through the FAU Amyloidosis Project, we will utilize innovative technologies such as imaging and nanotechnology, leverage medical research databases, employ burgeoning AI tools, and, importantly, share this information broadly.”

John and Ann Wood relocated to Boca Raton in 1983 having spent 18 years in the prestressed concrete business, building bridges, piers and cruise ship terminals throughout the Caribbean. They continued to operate the firm from Boca Raton until its sale in 2005. John is a United States Navy veteran and an engineering graduate of NYU, while Ann was a British citizen, raised in Trinidad and medically trained in London, England.

Have a lump or bump on your foot? Whether it’s painful or not, it could potentially signal a serious condition. Foot and ankle surgeons warn it’s important to have it checked out, no matter its size or location on your foot.

“Whether your bump or lump is peasized or golf ball-sized, it should not go ignored. A proper diagnosis is key to proper treatment,” says Michael Coyer, DPM, FACFAS, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and a Fellow Member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS).

According to ACFAS, here’s what to know about some of the more common types of lumps found in the foot:

Ganglionic Cysts

This soft, fluid-filled sac is a non-cancerous bump that experts believe may arise from single or repetitive trauma. A ganglionic cyst can be caused by a leaking of jelly-like fluid from the “capsule” surrounding a joint or tendon and may be located on the top of the foot, near an ankle joint or even on the side of the foot. While the lump itself is often the only symptom experienced, you may feel tingling or burning if it’s touching a nerve, or a dull ache if it’s pressing against a tendon or joint. Often, ganglionic cysts

Have a Bump on Your Foot? Don’t Ignore It

cause irritation, making it difficult to wear shoes. Such cysts generally will not go away on their own and may return, even after being drained. Surgical removal by a foot and ankle surgeon can help prevent recurrence. However, if the cyst is not causing pain and doesn’t interfere with walking, your surgeon may simply monitor it over time.

Plantar Fibromas

Plantar fibromas are benign, fibrous, hard nodules found within the ligament of the foot and are especially common in the arch area on the bottom of the foot. These bumps tend to be less than an inch in diameter but can get larger over time. They can cause pain when shoes push against them or when you’re walking or standing barefoot. Steroid injections, physical therapy or orthotic devices may help relieve associated discomfort but will not make the fibroma disappear. While surgical removal is an option if pain persists following nonsurgical approaches, it’s important to know that recurrence can occur post-surgery, as can complications, such as a flattening of the arch or the development of hammertoes.

Haglund’s Deformity

Haglund’s deformity, sometimes called a “pump bump,” is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. When it rubs against shoes -- from high-heeled pumps to running shoes -- the soft tissue near the Achil- les tendon can become irritated. This often leads to painful bursitis, an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac between the tendon and bone. While certain foot structures are more prone to Haglund’s deformity, you can treat the condition and help prevent recurrence with appropriate footwear, arch supports, orthotic devices and stretching exercises. Physical therapy, icing and NSAIDs can also reduce inflammation.

Sometimes, Dr. Coyer notes, a bump is suspected of being cancerous. In this case, your foot and ankle surgeon will perform a biopsy and if it is indeed cancer, will perform surgery to remove the mass, working in tandem with an oncologist for cancer treatment.

For more information on foot bumps or to find a foot and ankle surgeon near you, visit FootHealthFacts.org, the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeon’s patient education website.

“Remember, the sooner we’re able to properly evaluate your bump, the sooner you can have peace of mind and move forward with treatment,” says Dr. Coyer.

Spring Cleaning: Don’t Toss That ‘Junk,’ It May Be Valuable!

It’s time to hit the garage, basement, attic and closets for that age-old task of spring cleaning! Before hauling unwanted possessions to the curb, you may be surprised to learn they might be valuable -- especially if you have sports cards and memorabilia gathering dust.

With prices of sports cards rising in recent years, take time to determine if yours are valuable and how to best sell them.

“Older sports cards and memorabilia aren’t just highly collectible; they can be worth lots of money. Recent sales of scarce vintage cards have topped anywhere from thousands of dollars to tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands. And really rare cards can go higher,” says Al Crisafulli, Auction Director at Love of the Game Auctions, an internet sports auction house that helps families identify and sell valuable items.

Crisafulli has assisted people in selling such keepsakes as a grandparent’s autograph collection and an uncle’s childhood baseball cards, for tens of thousands of dollars. In one life-changing event, he helped a family determine that a baseball bat that spent decades protecting their home was used by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig -- and Love of the Game Auctions sold it for almost half a million dol- lars. Today, that bat could bring more than a million dollars.

The key is understanding what makes old sports collectibles valuable. To help, Crisafulli is sharing some tips: Older is Usually Pricier

Cards from the 1960s and earlier are collectible, and those from before the 1940s can be worth a lot of money, especially those depicting stars. Do you have cards of Hall of Famers, such as Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner or Ty Cobb? Even nonstars from the early days of a sport can be worth big bucks, especially if the cards have no creases and retain sharp corners and original gloss.

If you have very old cards from the 1880s through the 1930s, look for tobacco, gum and candy brands, such as Old Judge, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Goudey or American Caramel.

If you want to sell sports items for the most money, consider a specialty auction, such as Love of the Game, which has the expertise to properly research sports ephemera and maintains bidder lists of collectors specializing in sports. More information is available at loveofthegameauctions. com.

Postcards and Photographs

We all have keepsakes of vacation destinations, but most aren’t valuable. However, photographs and postcards depicting sports stars and ballparks can be significant. Look for early “real photo” postcards from the 1900s through the 1940s, which are photographs printed on postcard backs.

As with sports cards, star power matters, so preserve those Babe Ruths as opposed to images of your great grandma’s baby cousin once-removed. And when it comes to photos, look for old markings on the back, such as photographer, publication and date stamps.

Memorabilia

Set aside old advertising posters depicting sports stars and food, tobacco or sporting goods brands. Ads from magazines aren’t valuable, but those used as store displays and for other marketing purposes can be pricey. Tin signs from the 1960 and earlier can be highly prized, but reproductions aren’t.

Your family’s sporting goods, such as balls, gloves and bats, can be valuable. Pre-1950s uniforms and catcher’s masks, helmets and other equipment are highly collected, especially when endorsed by star players. Top condition brings the highest prices, but even used equipment can be valuable.

“The golden rule is the older the sports card or item, the more valuable it usually is. Pre-1975 pieces start to get interesting and are worth researching,” says Crisafulli.

Don’t just clean out your “junk” this spring, examine it closely to potentialy maximize its value.