OurLegacyToday Summer2015
Legacy Community Health Services Board of Directors Bryan Hlavinka Chairperson Beth Bruce Vice-Chairperson Jani C. Lopez Secretary Glenn Bauguss Treasurer Glenna Pierpont At-Large / Executive Committee Sehba Ali Beryl Basham Tony Bravo George Burch Dr. Abigail Caudle Victor Cordova, Jr. Cyndy Garza Roberts Amanda Goodie Alex Jessett Alton LaDay Jay Sears Lauren Soliz
Legacy Expands Prenatal Care with New Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic Legacy’s mission to drive healthy change in our communities requires listening to the needs of our neighborhoods. We’ve done just that at our Legacy Southwest clinic with the recent addition of the Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic, headed by Dr. Carlos Carreño and Dr. Sophia Burns. Expectant mothers with high risk pregnancies often suffer conditions like high blood pressure, lupus, kidney disease, or autoimmune disease. In many cases, they have previously miscarried or delivered their baby prematurely. Gestational diabetes occurs in 5-10% of pregnancies and more often in Hispanics, a majority of Southwest’s patient population. These pregnancies require closer monitoring and more frequent doctor’s appointments. Dr. Carlos Carreño is board certified in Maternal Fetal Medicine, and it’s his job to review the imaging results from the three new high-definition ultrasound machines in the clinic. He performs the patient consultations and provides specialized medical care. Dr. Burns, board certified in Obstetrics, works with Dr. Carlos Carreño and Dr. Carreño to coordinate support between Legacy’s Dr. Sophia Burns entire health care team to provide complete care. “The main goal is to have healthy mothers and babies,” says Dr. Burns. “We needed to keep the patients at Legacy. Before, if we were treating a high risk patient, we referred her out. And sometimes, she didn’t have the time or ability to go to other places for her appointments.” Dr. Carreño agrees that Legacy’s one-stop prenatal care shop is more convenient. “This is a patient population without many resources. Some don’t have reliable transportation. For those who do, parking in the medical center can be very expensive. So, if we provide all these services here, our patients are very happy and appreciative.” Once a patient is identified as high risk, Drs. Burns and Carreño lay out a treatment plan with a multidisciplinary team. It may include a nutritionist or diabetes educator for targeted interventions for the patient. “I think every patient deserves the best care I can give to her, and I learned a long time ago that the only way to make a difference is one patient at a time,” says Dr. Carreño. “So, you give your best, 100% on every patient that you see, to keep them happy and make sure they understand what’s going on.” Looking ahead, there’s more room for expansion. “We’ve just opened our doors and we’re already out of space,” says Dr. Burns. “We’re doing a great job within the confines we One of the clinic’s three new have, but we can do so much more. We’re hoping to grow to do even greater things.” HD ultrasound machines
John C. Sheptor
Legacy Community Health Endowment Board of Directors Claire Cormier Thielke Chairperson James A. Reeder, Jr. Secretary Mike Holloman Treasurer Michael Alexander Tripp Carter Joshua L. Espinedo Melanie Gray Bryan Hlavinka Melissa Mithoff Monsour Taghdisi
Legacy Supporter Spotlight: Monsour Taghdisi Owner, Prestige Builders Back in the 80s, when AIDS was a new, mysterious, and deadly illness, many health care providers were just as afraid of it as the people who were sick. That’s when Monsour Taghdisi first heard about a little clinic on Westheimer. “I had a friend with AIDS, and all the hospitals and clinics around were afraid to touch him,” he says. “A nurse directed us to the Montrose Clinic, and the people there calmed us down and made us feel at ease. They were the ones leading AIDS treatment at that time.” That first connection with compassionate care began a long-time commitment to Legacy. Honored once for this commitment and twice a chair of Legacy events, Taghdisi is now back to co-chair the 13th annual Legacy Luncheon with Lucinda Loya. Monsour Taghdisi and his son, Cameron “There are over 800 charitable events a year in Houston; that’s a lot of groups asking for much-needed funds. However, Legacy is an established non-profit, ‘for purpose’ organization that continues to fulfill its promise of better health care for more and more of our fellow Houstonians. My donations to Legacy are a proven investment.” What’s been especially important to Taghdisi is the expansion of Legacy’s pediatric services. As the proud parent of 4 ½-yearold Cameron, he says, “there’s nothing worse than feeling helpless when your children are suffering. They look up to us to make their world better and to ease their pain. Legacy is empowering parents to fulfill that essential role by providing health care to our children. Hopefully, generations will change as a result of what we’ve done.”
Zayver Jewels Spring Fling Celebrity stylist Derek Warburton showed his support for Preview at Sloan/Hall Legacy during the Spring Fling Zayver Jewels preview at Sloan/Hall. A portion of jewelry sales benefitted Legacy programs. Thanks to Melissa Mithoff, Shannon Hall, and Zayver Jewels owner Bela Thacker for organizing the event!
April 2
Monsour Taghdisi and Elizabeth Petersen Shannon Hall, Derek Warburton, and Marcus Sloan
Chree Boydstun and Bela Thacker
Fritz Lucio McDonald and Debbie Festari
Ginni Mithoff, Derek Warburton, and Melissa Mithoff
April 28
Spring Celebration and Membership Renewal Tony Bravo and Richard Werner graciously opened their home to celebrate the first year of the Lights of Legacy program. More than 150 guests were in attendance to meet, greet, and learn more about Legacy’s everygrowing services. Lights members raised nearly $140,000 last year to benefit Legacy programs.
Rick Dickson, Luis Morales Lopez, Jani Lopez, and Mike Holloman Katy Caldwell and Melanie Gray Bryan Hlavinka, Claire Cormier Thielke, and Alton LaDay
David and Mary Ann McKeithan
Matthew and Dr. Anne Barnes
Dr. Yvonne Cormier and Leisa Holland-Nelson
Richard Werner and Tony Bravo
Derby Day at Meteor
Derby Day lived up to its name with big hats and big hair as attendees gathered to toast the running of the Kentucky Derby. We’re grateful to Ginger Grant and Meteor for hosting our annual kickoff for Legacy’s Mint Julep summer fundraiser.
May 2
“Ginger Grant,” aka George Burch
Amy Freeman and John Burks Jane Riley, Kathleen Riley, Debbie Costello, and Sallie Acorn
Demolition Day
June 12
Local officials joined Legacy board members and staff to clear a path for transformation in Southwest Houston. The old building next to our Southwest clinic is being torn down to meet the rapidly growing health care needs of the community. Patient visits have tripled at Legacy Southwest in the past five years and we are making plans for future growth.
Lisa Foronda and Victor Cordova
Brian Hlavinka
State Representative Gene Wu, Legacy Chief Medical Officer Ann Barnes, M.D., Chief Development Officer Chree Boydstun, and Houston City Councilmember Mike Laster
Some of our wonderful Southwest clinic staff
Amanda Goodie and Chloe Rushing
Leave a Legacy with the Circle of Caring
Some of our youngest donors are supporting Legacy’s Little Readers literacy program! Siri Jackson, pictured here with Legacy’s Katie Daggett, worked with her mother Anika to collect $500 in books and other goods for our pediatric clinics. We’re proud of this Little Reader for volunteering her time to help other children!
Lynne Tyer, Senior Director of Grants and Planned Giving in Legacy’s Development Department, remembers receiving a touching phone call from an attorney in Florida. “He was calling on behalf of a Florida resident who had recently passed away, but had spent time in Houston as a patient at Legacy,” said Tyer. “He was grateful for the care he received, and had designated Legacy in his will to receive a percentage of his estate.” An increasing number of donors are remembering Legacy with similar bequests, and this month we are launching our new Circle of Caring planned giving program. Planned giving may include bequests, stocks, bonds, or even percentages of life insurance policies. Legacy will not provide estate planning guidance, and we encourage those considering planned giving to contact their financial advisor. However, Circle of Caring will have policies in place to correctly designate planned contributions. Those who choose to make a planned gift will have the option of being recognized on a Circle of Caring Donor Wall in one of our clinics. Our clients, patients, friends, families, and even employees have already made the decision to include Legacy in their estate planning. “Sylvia Suhrland, a social worker who volunteered with Montrose Clinic in the mid-80s, was an influential part of our HIV counseling, testing, and Next Step program,” said Tyer. “She volunteered until her health deteriorated, but her heart stayed with Legacy even after she passed away. In keeping with her support of the community, Sylvia’s bequest was directed to the Next Step program.” If you’re interested in sharing life with others by leaving a legacy, contact Lynne Tyer at ltyer@legacycommunityhealth.org or 832.548.5126.
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Legacy’s New Trademark: Changing for GOOD! Longtime readers of “Our Legacy Today” may have noticed we have a new look. We’ve changed our newsletter design as part of an overall brand transformation for Legacy Community Health. Our new trademark and a shorter name better represent how Legacy’s outreach and mission has expanded through Southeast Texas. “We are reaching back and bringing our history forward,” said Alton LaDay, Legacy Community Health Board Member. “It’s a new beginning, and a recognition of where we come from and who we are.” We have dropped the term “Services” from our name. It’s a shorter, more functional name that retains our vivid history of compassionate community health. The graphic element to the trademark is an interlocking L, C, and H. That represents our desire to be fully integrated into the neighborhoods we serve. The colors represent our cultural diversity, both internally and externally with regards to the people we serve. The orange and yellow allows for a welcoming and encouraging impression while the blue evokes a sense of serenity. The spectrum of colors is also a subtle reference to the rainbow - a cherished piece of our history. What hasn’t changed is the courageous, Our new trademark is gradually compassionate service that Legacy has being phased in throughout our provided for more than 30 years. We’re devoted organization, with the first signage to providing our neighbors and communities installed during a renovation at with high-quality, accessible healthcare. We our Bissonnet clinic. look forward to many more years of driving healthy change in our communities!
July 19 The 13th Annual Mint Julep Show at South Beach High heels, big hair, and lots of bling! Mint Julep brings together some of Houston’s top LGBT entertainers for an afternoon of outrageous performances and oodles of fun. Proceeds benefit Legacy’s HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and support programs. Chloe Rushing, events@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 200-7150
September 16th Legacy’s Annual Luncheon at Wortham Theater Center Mark your calendar for our annual luncheon co-chaired by Lucinda Loya and Monsour Taghdisi. Chloe Rushing, events@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 200-7150
October 26 Frank Billingsley Golf Tournament Golf Club of Houston Timmy Martinez, tjmartinez@legacycommunityhealth.org (832) 548-5123