Legacy Community Health Services Board of Directors Bryan Hlavinka Chairperson Beth Bruce Vice-Chairperson Jani C. Lopez Secretary Glenn Bauguss Treasurer Ian Rosenberg At-Large / Executive Committee Sehba Ali Beryl Basham Tony Bravo George Burch Dr. Abigail Caudle Victor Cordova Cyndy Garza Roberts Amanda Goodie Alex Jessett Alton LaDay Glenna Pierpont Jay Sears Lauren Soliz John C. Sheptor
Legacy Community Health Endowment Board of Directors Claire Cormier Thielke Chairperson
Kathryn and Jeff Smith Shine for Lights of Legacy at the 2014 Holiday Schmooze Kathryn and Jeff Smith are no strangers to managing crises; as public relations professionals, it’s their job. But when the bad news came in the form of a Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes diagnosis for Sam, their 12 month old son, they realized they needed a new strategy to manage the chronic disease. “We were in complete shock,” says Kathryn. “You come in with what we thought was an incredibly healthy baby and leave with such a terrible prognosis. My biggest fear was the daily shots and finger pricks. How do you explain that to a baby?” It was a life-changing diagnosis that meant the Smiths had to be vigilant in Sam’s treatment. Along with the insulin shots and multiple finger sticks to track blood sugar (glucose), Jeff and Kathryn had to carefully monitor Sam’s food intake and activity. Any disruption in the balance of glucose and insulin could lead to a potentially deadly reaction. The Smiths relied on a team of medical specialists to guide Sam’s treatment. “If you don’t have the resources that we or someone else may have, I can’t imagine the worry and stress that goes into simply caring for your children every day,” says Jeff. “‘Are they getting the right care? Are we making the right decisions? Are they getting the right medicine?’ Legacy is filling that void.” The goal of providing high-quality, caring, and compassionate treatment to those in need has not changed in the 33 years since Legacy opened its doors to help people living with HIV. It’s one of many reasons the Smiths are strong supporters of Legacy
Kathryn and Jeff Smith
programs, and why they readily agreed to host the 2014 Holiday Schmooze at their home in River Oaks. While Schmooze proceeds benefit Legacy’s HIV treatment and prevention programs, the Smiths hope those who attended the party came away with an understanding that Legacy offers so much more. In 2014, five Legacy locations were recognized as Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH), and two others are under consideration. The highest level of PCMH recognition validates our high-quality, comprehensive care for the physical and mental health needs of children and adults. Our team of physicians, clinical staff, social workers, and care coordinators partner with our patients to support them in managing illnesses and making healthy choices while linking them with their communities for additional services. “Houston is home to the greatest medical community in the world. Legacy provides such an amazing quality of care to people who may not otherwise be able to go to the medical center and get that kind of treatment,” Jeff says. That treatment offers peace of mind to Legacy parents whose children are living with chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes. Quality care means a greater quality of life, and that holds true for Sam Smith, who’s now ten and has his diabetes under control. “He said we can be sad about this or we can turn this into something positive,” says Kathryn. “Sam is not going to let diabetes stop him from doing anything.”
Mark A. Grierson Vice-Chairperson James A. Reeder, Jr. Secretary Mike Holloman Treasurer Michael Alexander Tripp Carter Joshua L. Espinedo Melanie Gray Melissa Mithoff Monsour Taghdisi
Chree Boydstun As you’ll see in the following pages, 2014 was another outstanding year for Legacy Community Health Services. We once again enjoyed more growth than even we thought possible, increasing our presence in Houston and expanding our reach in Baytown and Beaumont. We honored Martha Turner’s generosity and contributions to the Houston charitable landscape at our 12th Annual Luncheon. And, most importantly, we helped ensure the physical and mental well-being of more Texans than ever before. This year we added more locations around Houston, and opened an emergency room diversion clinic in Beaumont to help keep those vital facilities less crowded for those who truly
onors, we thank you! need urgent care. Our media efforts help inform more than 1,000,000 people about World AIDS Day. We distributed more than 4,200 red ribbons in the days leading up to the event, and notable city and state leaders joined us at the Montrose Campus to spread the word about the “Getting to Zero” campaign’s goal of no new HIV diagnoses or deaths in our lifetimes. Our adult literacy programs help hundreds of people earn their GED, improve their computer skills, and strengthen their command of the English language. To kick off the New Year, you hold in your hands highlights of some of Legacy’s 2014 success stories. None of this would’ve been possible without the generous support of donors like you, so please allow me to thank you once again for making Legacy a part of your lives. Stay tuned in 2015, as we have a new project in the works, one that will bring real, lasting change to Southwest Houston and Fifth Ward. I’m excited about it, and you will be too!
Fall 2014 Chief Development Officer
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