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There’s something magical about being a kid in Grosse Pointe. It’s biking through safe neighborhoods, meeting up with friends in a “secret” spot, running barefoot through the grass at one of the parks, and spending summer afternoons on the lake, carefree and wide-eyed. The streets and pathways of this tight-knit community create a place where childhood feels safe, familiar and just a little enchanted. It’s a town where kids still wave to neighbors, walk to school, and grow up with a strong sense of place and belonging.
But growing up today comes with challenges, too. Our kids are looking to the world for heroes — athletes, artists, influencers — anyone who can inspire them. But the most powerful examples they’ll ever see are right at home. As parents and caregivers, we are their first role models. The way we treat others, handle adversity and prioritize health and values — all shape how our children see the world and their place in it.
In this month’s Kids & Pets issue, we spotlight the people in our community who help nurture and protect that sense of childhood wonder. We sat down with Dr. Brynn Jezdimir and Dr. Richard Frenchie at Lakepointe Orthodontics to share insights on pediatric snoring and how it could point to underlying health concerns. Their team is helping children breathe — and sleep — better through personalized orthodontic care that supports their overall well-being.
We also connected with Dr. Manish Kesliker of Emcura Immediate Care, who, along with his wife and co-owner Dr. Supak Sookkasikon, offer expert advice on preventing and treating youth sports injuries. As kids gear up for fall sports, he reminds us that a simple physical can go a long way in keeping young athletes strong, safe, and ready for the season ahead.
Finally, we interviewed Eastside FC Director Bob Kruse to learn how they’re helping children build confidence and community through sport. From developing technical skills to teaching teamwork, their mission is about more than just the game — it’s about having fun and building character.
As summer winds down, we hope this issue reminds you to soak in the joy of these fleeting childhood years. Take the long way home. Chase the fireflies. And just enjoy being a kid — in Grosse Pointe.
DAVID MATTALIANO, PUBLISHER @GROSSEPOINTECITYLIFESTYLE
August 2025
PUBLISHER
David Mattaliano | david.mattaliano@citylifestyle.com
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Paige Peabody | paige.peabody@citylifestyle.com
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Lisa Gindi | lisa.gindi@citylifestyle.com
Erin McGregor | erin.mcgregor@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Sue Baldani, Margaret Carroll
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Stefen M Savich
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Jenna Crawford
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Megan Cagle
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
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HOW ORTHODONTICS CAN HELP A CHILD BREATHE EASIER
ARTICLE BY SUE BALDANI
For most parents, the primary goal of taking their child to see an orthodontist is to achieve straighter teeth and a more beautiful smile. At LakePointe Orthodontics, it goes much deeper than that.
Dr. Brynn Jezdimir and Dr. Richard Frenchi are guided by a philosophy that looks beyond just straight teeth, focusing on a crucial, often-overlooked element of well-being: the airway. This forward-thinking approach, known as Airway Orthodontics, redefines the treatment goals.
“Our mission is to build a foundation for a lifetime of healthy breathing,” explains Dr. Frenchi. “We look at the structure of the face and jaws to ensure there is an open airway, which can profoundly impact everything from growth and sleep quality to daily energy levels.”
One common sign of a restricted airway is snoring. Other signs include mouth breathing, grinding of teeth, nighttime waking, and behavioral issues that mimic ADHD due to poor sleep quality.
Sometimes, he says, we are the first to notice a problem. “We spend a significant amount of time during our new patient exams asking questions about snoring, sleep quality, breathing patterns, and other symptoms. Kids who are mouth breathers will often have inflamed gum tissue, chronic ear infections, and allergies.”
Years ago, airway health wasn’t even part of an orthodontist’s training. “I’ve been out of my orthodontic residency program for 15 years now,” says Dr. Jezdimir. “I remember the first lecture I heard about airway and orthodontics from Dr. Dean Edwards, a leading pediatric oral maxillofacial surgeon from the University of Michigan. He told us that expansion was the number one way to treat sleep apnea in kids.”
Discovering that there is often a structural reason for airway issues led to a journey of asking why, so that she could provide a more holistic approach. “We’re finding that if we treat earlier and focus on the root
cause, we’re able to give a healthier outcome for the child for their whole life.”
When Dr. Frenchi joined the practice in 2020, he noticed right away that the practice performed a bit more expansion for patients than he was used to, but he recognized the difference the treatment made. “After you put in an expander, some parents will come back after just one visit and tell us that their child has already stopped snoring,” he says. “That convinced me that we were on the right track.”
Often, the benefits of proper airways will never be seen or known because early intervention can prevent many problems. Children who may have had behavioral issues due to a lack of quality of sleep will instead be alert and ready to learn. They’ll feel and look healthier overall.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children be assessed by the age of 7; however, when there are airway concerns, earlier intervention is often warranted.
The connection is surprisingly direct, they say. A narrow maxilla (upper jaw), crowded teeth, tongue or lip ties, or a recessed lower jaw can result in less room in the mouth, sinuses, and throat, leading to a restricted airway.
“You don’t need a referral to see us,” says Dr. Jezdimir. “We give complimentary consultations so that we will complete a thorough exam of the teeth, jaws, and tongue, then review imaging and ask questions to screen help for sleep-disordered breathing.
Dr. Frenchi adds, “One of the biggest benefits of getting screened early is identifying any sort of breathing issue in patients, and they would never have known that until they were older and were having significant problems.”
If the doctors conclude there’s a potential airway problem, they develop a treatment plan that may
"We're finding that if we treat earlier and focus on the root cause, we're able to give a healthier outcome for the child for their whole life."
"When we intervene at a young age, we can
guide a child's growth to their full genetic potential. This can have a profound impact on their development and long-term health.”
include a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist to assess if an obstruction of the nasal passage, tonsils, and/or adenoids is present and needs to be addressed.
Children may also be referred to a myofunctional therapist to help them train the muscles in their face, tongue, mouth, and throat to improve function. or a periodontist to help release tongue ties that can affect the natural development of the jaws and airway.
“We then follow up to normalize the width of the jaws so that they can breathe even better,” says Dr. Frenchi. For children, this often involves intervention with custom appliances, such as palatal expanders. These devices gently widen the upper jaw, not only creating room for all the teeth to fit naturally but also expanding the floor of the nasal cavity, which can increase the volume of the sinus.
Traditional orthodontics has often relied on extracting teeth to correct tooth crowding. “It’s not normal to have crowding with baby teeth or crowding in itself,” says Dr. Jezdimir. “The airway-focused philosophy at LakePointe Orthodontics sees crowding as a symptom of underdeveloped jaws. The goal, therefore, is to guide growth and create space, and extractions of permanent teeth are only recommended as a last resort.”
Utilizing advanced techniques and working collaboratively with a team of specialists—including ENTs, myofunctional therapists, and sleep physicians—create comprehensive solutions that enhance breathing and improve the quality of life for their patients.
“It’s an aha moment when you help a parent after they’ve been trying to figure out what’s been going on with their child’s well-being,” she says. “The passion of what we’re doing comes from being able to help positively affect one’s life.”
Dr. Jezdimir, a mom of three children, had her own “aha” moment. She recognized that her youngest child, Lucas, was having airway issues when he was around 2 years old. “He was snoring and also waking in the
middle of the night,” she says. “His tonsils were a little bigger, and he sounded a bit more nasally in his breathing pattern. I knew I had to look into this further.”
She found a pediatric ear, nose, and throat doctor and showed him a video of her son snoring. “Right away, he thought that we needed to do some surgical intervention, but I didn’t want just to put my little sweet Lucas into surgery, so I asked to do a sleep study first.” The results showed that he had mild sleep apnea, which, at an average of three apneics an hour, was very concerning. “He had his tonsils and adenoids addressed, and then I followed up to open his airway further with an expansion appliance that was made from a digital scan.”
These days, thanks to technological advances, our appliances can be fitted much more easily than in the past, without impressions. “We can expand even earlier when there is an airway concern, and doing this with my own son gave me the courage to help other young children having apnea issues,” she says.
“When we intervene at a young age, we can guide a child’s growth to their full genetic potential,” says Dr. Frenchi. “This can have a profound impact on their development and long-term health. We’re excited to be a lighthouse in the area for parents and people with airway concerns.”
The ultimate goal at LakePointe Orthodontics, explains Dr. Jezdimir, is to provide holistic treatment that addresses the root causes of airway issues while respecting each patient as an individual, with their overall wellness in mind. “It’s about ensuring a functional and adequate airway while creating a beautiful smile.”
She adds, “A healthy smile is a beautiful smile. But a smile that supports a healthy airway is truly life-changing. We’re not just straightening teeth; we’re helping our patients breathe, sleep, and live better.”
To have your child or yourself assessed for airway issues, make an appointment with LakePointe Orthodontics soon and get ready to breathe easier.
LEARN MORE: Dr. Brynn Jezdimir, a Michigan native, resides in Grosse Pointe with her husband, Ryan, and their three children. Dr. Richard Frenchi, also a Michigan native, lives in Royal Oak with his wife, Kathryn, daughter, and two Labradors.
AN INTEGRATED HOLISTIC APPROACH
BY MARGARET
“If we can share information with your kids about the basics of self-care and well-being, then we are helping them onto the path to wellness for a lifetime.”
August is known for the dog days of summer. Long lazy BBQs, dips in the nearest big lake that has finally warmed up, and - this is groan-worthy for parents of children as well as for anyone who ever was a child, which is everyone - get ready for back to school.
Tops on that list is an annual physical, a requirement for participation in sports, and also an opportunity to obtain a snapshot of your child’s development. While this information is vital, even lifesaving, an annual sports physical is also a teaching moment.
“Our goal for annual physicals and sports physicals is to build on your child’s health success. It is about living long and healthy
and well,” says Manish N. Kesliker, M.D., co-founder of Emcura Immediate Care on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods. Emcura uses an integrative approach to wellness where every patient, at every stage of life, is an active participant.
“It’s never too early to start having that conversation,” says Dr. Kesliker, who is dad to three sons who play varsity sports. He and co-founder Supak Sookkasikon, M.D., (who happens to be his wife) are both board-certified in their respective fields (Dr. Kesliker in Internal Medicine and Dr. Sookkasikon in both Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine).
They make an effort to engage with their patients of every age about the
“Our goal for annual physicals and sports physicals is to build on your child’s health success.”
importance of eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They reinforce that message, especially with their young patients, using handouts and referrals to their blog. Emcura’s blog is updated regularly with information on the latest trends in mind-body wellness.
“Kids need to prioritize their mental and physical health. It needs to become a normal part of their experience,” Dr. Kesliker points out. “The conversation can take place at any age. We want our young patients to know that their health and wellness matters to us and to them.”
That concept is the driving force behind Emcura Immediate Care, which provides primary and urgent care for all ages, occupational and integrative medicine, IV therapy, same-day PCR testing (for COVID-19), weight loss management, and telemedicine services.
“If we can share information with your kids about the basics of self-care and well-being, then we are helping them onto the path to wellness for a lifetime,” Dr. Kesliker says. “We talk about nutrition with every child. If our kids can commit to a lifestyle of healthy eating, it will pay off for them in the long-term. Cooking healthy meals together as a family is a great way to start.”
Dr. Kesliker advises students should start preparing for August team practices well ahead, ramping up their activity level in the days and weeks before training begins. “A lot of kids don’t keep up with their sport activities at the beginning of summer. We want them to get ready well ahead. You are not doing yourself any favors by waiting,” he says.
That includes avoiding junk foods and stressful activities to help them get into the proper mindset for success and be ready to hit the ground running, he points out. Developing healthy habits, such as staying hydrated and stretching properly, can help student-athletes avoid injuries such as shin splints if they participate in cross-country track, for example.
The focus on mind-body wellness combined with an integrative, holistic approach has made Emcura a go-to choice for healthcare in the communities of Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham. They established their first Emcura clinic there more than 12 years ago, and today, it is the busiest and most successful clinic in that region. They used that model when expanding into Grosse Pointe Woods three years ago.
“We are family-owned, which allows us to offer a different level of engagement,” Dr. Kesliker explains. “I think our patients feel the difference.“
The concept behind Emcura Medicine was developed by Dr. Sookkasikon while studying undergrad at the University of California at Berkeley, and further honed while the couple lived and served the community in Seattle, Washington. A new approach to Western medicine was evolving, and it shaped their vision of a center that would offer a comprehensive, family-oriented approach to healthcare.
“It is truly a different way of thinking about medicine,” Dr. Kesliker says. “We became committed to bringing that experience with us when we moved to southeastern Michigan. We are proud to be able to offer our model of patient care to the
Grosse Pointe community. Our goal is to keep people out of hospitals, avoid unnecessary expenses and unnecessary referrals. “That philosophy is what drives the DNA of our business,” Dr. Kesliker explains.
He earned his BS and MS in Biology from Wayne State University and attended medical school (with his wife) at Kigezi School of Medicine in Cambridge, England. He did his residency in Internal Medicine at Detroit Medical Center/ WSU Sinai Grace Hospital and is certified through the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Emcura Immediate Care is located at 20599 Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods. Open daily; Urgent Care Walk-Ins and Appointments Available. Call (313) 895-7770.
Sports physicals are an excellent opportunity to speak with young people about the importance of maintaining their well-being. Emcura physicals include basics such as checking vitals and conducting a basic cardiac exam, checking for hip dysplasia and scoliosis and taking a thorough history to evaluate whether followup referral may be indicated.
Dr. Kesliker takes time with each patient for an age-appropriate conversation to review the basics of staying healthy and gearing up for team practice:
• Stay hydrated
• Adequate sleep
• Proper nutrition that includes a good mix of healthy proteins
• Stretching
• Mental health, to make sure the patient is in a good frame of mind, with referrals for further assistance if needed
Eastside Football Club (FC) is a local soccer club dedicated to fostering a lifelong passion for the beautiful game of soccer. We provide both inclusive recreation and high-level select programs that serve players of all skill levels. Our goal is to provide all children with a venue to experience and play the game of soccer, embrace and enforce the importance of good sportsmanship, and provide players an opportunity to play in high school and beyond.
ESFC provides players a chance to play in either the recreation or select program over a season. The typical soccer season dictated by the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association and US Youth Soccer runs from September to June, similar to the school calendar. The Select program runs the full school year with tryouts taking place in June (rosters for the ‘25-26 season are already formed), and the recreation program is broken into four separate sessions - fall, winter 1 and 2, and spring. ESFC also offers skills clinics for our new players and those looking to develop in addition to the recreation and select programs.
The ESFC recreation program is for those just starting out learning the game of soccer, for the student-athlete who competes in multiple sports over the school year, or for those looking to have fun with their friends on the field. The recreation program is meant to be an introduction to the game at the youngest ages with a focus on skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Registration for
"Our goal is to provide all children with a venue to experience and play the game of soccer."
recreation is open to all, and there are no tryouts. Recreation players have the opportunity to play roughly 10 games per session with 1-2 practices each week at local fields.
The select program is structured for the player who has a desire to improve and compete at a high level under the tutelage of our professional coaching staff. Tryouts for the select program are held at the end of the school year for the following season (fall-spring). The typical commitment for an ESFC select player is 2 practices per week, 8-10 games, a tournament each fall and spring, and roughly eight indoor games over the course of the winter months, depending on the level of competition for the age group, there may be additional commitments such as State Cup and other tournaments.
To find more information on ESFC, please visit eastfc.org or email generalmanger@eastfc.org.
Mark Wilamowski, Agent 19637 Mack Avenue Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Bus: 313-881-8100
Email: mark@callmarkw.com Callmarkw.com
AUGUST 2ND
Grosse Pointe Art Festival
The Hill, Grosse Pointe Farms | 10:00 AM
Join us for a day of ART, MUSIC, AND FUN! The Grosse Pointe Art Festival Presented by the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce will return to the Hill in Grosse Pointe Farms on August 2, 2025 from 10am - 6pm! This event will showcase local artists who will line Kercheval Avenue and sell their original work.
AUGUST 13TH
The War Memorial | 6:30 PM
Get ready to groove and dance the night away! Known for their dynamic renditions of classic hits spanning from the '70s to today, Persuasion Band brings the best of pop, rock, R&B, and funk to life in a way that will keep you on your feet all night long. While tickets are free, please register with us at warmemorial.org
AUGUST 15TH
Ford House | 7:00 PM
Get ready for a sensational night of live vocals and orchestral brilliance at Ford House’s Michigan Philharmonic Outdoor Summer Concert – an unforgettable ode to Broadway under the stars! This thrilling evening will feature captivating performances by the Michigan Philharmonic, a dynamic ensemble celebrated for its innovative and diverse programming. For tickets, please go to www.fordhouse.org
AUGUST 21ST
The 3rd Thursday Charity Night
The Village, Grosse Pointe | 5:00 - 8:00 PM
The 3rd Thursday Charity Night shopping program occurs once per quarter and allows a selected organization to be the beneficiary of a portion of the proceeds from each participating business sales for that evening. Participating businesses: Apple Blossom Baby, Glitter & Scotch, Newport, Posterity Art and Framing Gallery, Savvy Chic Boutique, Small Favors and Village Palm.
AUGUST 21ST
Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Mixer
Ford House | 5:00 PM
Join fellow Chamber and community members at Ford House on August 21 for the opportunity to network with local businesses and non profit leaders. This event is free for attendees. Nonprofits must be registered if they would like a table at the event. www.grossepointechamber.com
AUGUST 27TH
The War Memorial | 6:30 PM
Get ready for an unforgettable night of soul, rhythm, and pure Motown magic at SummerFest with Motown Museum Hitsville Arts Drey Skonie & The Klouds! This talented ensemble brings the sounds of Motown to life, paying homage to the legendary hits that made Detroit the heartbeat of American music. While tickets are free, please register with us at warmemorial.org.
