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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | DECEMBER 2018
Broadway-themed benefit raises funds for Caregiving Youth group By: Dale King Contributing Writer The Boca-based American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) set a Broadway theme for its 9th Annual Heart & “Soles” fundraising event at the Pavilion Grille last month. Singers shared songs from the Great White Way with the audience of hundreds who enjoyed dinner and dancing. Tables with centerpieces of red shafts with silver stars on top glistened with elegance. The Broadway theme of the show gave young men and women a chance to perform tunes from musicals like Annie Get Your Gun, Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors and Fiddler on the Roof. Watching over the festivities was Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD, who founded a nonprofit in 1998 called Boca Raton Interfaith in Action that became the American Association of Caregiving Youth in 2010. She heads the local chapter of the national resource that aids children who sacrifice their education, health, well-being and childhood to provide care for family members who are ill, injured, elderly or disabled. AACY combines systems of healthcare, education and community to provide needs-
driven services to caregiving young people in school, outside of school and at home. With AACY’s help, caregiving youth are no longer alone in the often difficult task of providing care. “Last year, we helped 623 kids from 26 middle and high schools in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton,” said Siskowski. Throughout Palm Beach County, the number of caregiving youth is estimated at some 10,000. The name of the event, “Heart & ‘Soles,’” said Siskowski, encouraged guests to “walk in the shoes of a caregiving youth.” The young men and women who provide help to needy family members also entered an essay contest sponsored by the Bomar Foundation. Three winners – Daniel Garcia, Jourdan DeFrain and Roslyn Rigson – received awards at the event and will get financial gifts. Dan Davidowitz, vice president of the AACY Board of Directors, presented accolades to the essay winners. State Senator Lori Berman pulled the winning ticket to a performance of the musical, Hamilton, a lucky ducat won by Mike Miller. While joy and happiness filled the room
Roslyn Rigdon, one of the AACY essay winners, is shown with Connie Siskowski, founder and president of the caregiving youth organization, during the “Heart & ‘Soles’” fundraiser. Photo by Dale King.
Officials from the AACY are shown with essay contest winners; from left, Michelle Dolan, Connie Siskowski, Roslyn Rigdon, Dan Davidowitz, Daniel Garcia and Jourdan DeFrain. Photo by Dale King
filled with AACY guests, youngsters and staff, there was also emotion in the air. When Rigdon accepted her award, she began to cry as she told about caring for her mother who is ill. Siskowski, the founder, leader and staunch advocate for helping young people who care for needy relatives, understands those challenges first-hand. As a young teen, she took a primary role in caring for her 84-year-old grandfather. As an adult, she created AACY as a national resource for children who sacrifice their own desires to care for stricken relatives. “It’s easy to underestimate the number of children who care for an ailing family member,” Siskowski noted. “The only na-
Leah Davidowitz, 16, sings to her father, Dan, during the AACY “Heart & ‘Soles’” fundraiser. Photo by Dale King.
tional study was done in 2005 and estimated that more than 1.3 million children ages 8-18 in the United States were caregiving youth. I think the number is much higher.” Youngsters who provide assistance are also usually hidden, since they keep their cares and worries to themselves. Locally, they are identified in sixth grade through a simple eligibility form. Support ranges from wheelchair ramps, bathroom safety bars and other vital home modifications. AACY also provides respite for the caregivers, allowing them time to take part in fun activities “and to meet other kids so they’ll know they are not alone,” said Siskowski. “Meeting other kids can also unlock a mountain of stress.”
Robotic Total Hip, Knee Replacement Surgery specialist joins Tenet Florida Physician Service staff as an orthopaedic surgeon at Holy Cross Orthopedic Institute, as well as an arthroplasty surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Florida, and as an orthopaedic surgeon at Orthopaedic Center of South Florida in Plantation.
Staff report
Check presentation with (L-R) Maeve Quinlan, Patrick McEnroe, Rennae Stubbs, Jaime McShane, John McEnroe, Kevin McKidd, Chris Evert, Seal, Martina Navratilova, Shawn Hatosey, Jon Lovitz and Carson Kressley. Photo courtesy of Camerawork, usa.
Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic raises $800k Staff report
The 29th annual Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic raised $800,000 for its ongoing campaign against drug abuse and child neglect. Celebs hit to courts to raise money for programs funded through the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and through the Drug Abuse Foundation of Palm Beach County. The latest fundraising totals push the 29-year total to close to $25 million. The weekend’s events included a Pro-Am, a Charity Gala and two days of Pro-Celebrity Tennis in Boca and Delray.
David A. Padden, MD, a boardcertified and fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon specializing in minimally-invasive adult reconstructive surgery of the hip and knee for arthritis and other ailments, has opened a new practice with Tenet Florida Physician Services (TFPS) in Boca Raton. Dr. Padden is an expert in robotic assisted joint replacement of the hip and knee having performed hundreds of surgeries using the Mako® Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology. His orthopaedic surgery focus includes minimally invasive muscle-sparing anterolateral and direct anterior total hip and knee replacement, revision joint replacement for both the hip and knee, and avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis. Dr. Padden is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is on-staff at West Boca Medi-
cal Center. Prior to joining TFPS, Dr. Padden worked as an orthopaedic surgeon and reconstructive surgery specialist at Optimotion Orthopaedics in Orlando. His connection to providing care to the South Florida community is deep having run a practice at the Robotic Hip & Knee Replacement Center in Pembroke Pines, on-
Dr. Padden is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Fellow Member, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. He is an International and National Instructor of Robotic Assisted Joint Replacement of the hip and knee for Stryker, the manufacturer of the Mako® Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology for hip and knee replacements. In addition, Dr. Padden is a member of the Florida Medical Association, Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, Broward Medical Association and National Osteonecrosis Foundation. Dr. Padden has been practicing medicine since 1991.