Dallas-based TeamConnor Childhood Cancer Foundation announced Babe Laufenberg and Steve Eager will serve as honorary co-chairs for the 15th Annual III Forks Golf Classic.
Babe Laufenberg, a former NFL player and long-time Cowboys’ radio analyst, will join Fox 4 evening news anchor Steve Eager to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer research.
The two-day 15th Annual III Forks Golf Classic is May 5 – 6, 2019 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano.
The Parkland Foundation shares how a grant from The W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation at Communities Foundation of Texas is funding a first-of-its kind program in Texas called RIGHT Care.
The RIGHT Care team is a partnership between Dallas paramedics, the Dallas Police Department and Parkland Hospital social workers. The team responds to mental health emergency calls in south central Dallas. The goal of the program is to divert mental health patients from area emergency rooms and jails through stabilizing them at the scene and then referring them to appropriate services for their healthcare needs.
Dallas News reports Arlington-based Texas Health Resources announced layoffs of about 720 employees. This represents three percent of their 24,000 employees.
Texas Health Resources is one of the largest faith-based, nonprofit health care delivery systems in the United States and the largest in North Texas in terms of patients served. The system’s primary service area consists of 16 counties in north central Texas, home to more than 7 million people.
Texas Health has 29 hospital locations including 19 acute-care hospital locations, five short-stay hospitals, two behavioral health hospitals, two rehabilitation hospitals and one transitional care hospital, all owned, operated, joint-ventured or affiliated with the system. It has more than 3,900 licensed beds, employs more than 24,000 people, and counts more than 6,000 physicians at its hospitals.
The Dallas News shared a recent report on area nonprofit hospitals facing scrutiny over their tax-exempt status.
Nonprofit hospitals like Baylor Scott & White and Texas Health Resources created almost half the pretax income in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in 2017. Their joint total was $1.1 billion and includes investment gains, philanthropy and government grants.
Combined with other health care institutions in north Texas, nonprofit hospitals had almost 70% of the area’s pretax income according to analyst data yet they don’t have to pay most taxes. Exemptions include property, sales and federal income taxes.
The benefit to the community includes charity care for the indigent and uninsured and by absorbing other medical costs not covered by Medicaid as well as sponsoring medical residencies for new doctors and research investments.
Culture of Health Leaders is accepting applications for their Robert Wood Johnson program. Each year, Culture of Heath Leaders welcomes up to 40 new leaders. These are individuals from any field, profession or sector who want to advance equity and health in their professions, industries, and communities.
During the Robert Wood Johnson Program, leaders embark on a personally and professionally transformative journey that allows them to deepen their networks and turn ideas into action while receiving funding support and high-level professional coaching.
For more information on applying, click here. The deadline is February 20.
The James L. West Center for Dementia Care has piloted a first-of-its-kind “dementia friendly” concert series with featured performances by leading Fort Worth arts organizations.
The series, which kicked off in August, will run through June 2019 and is funded by charitable gifts made to the Nina Maria Cole Music and Arts Fund. Participating performing arts organizations include DVA Productions, the Fort Worth Opera/TCU Lesley Artists, Cliburn, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Boys Choir and Texas Ballet Theatre.
“Studies have shown the remarkable benefits of music on the cognitive functions of people with dementia, as well as stress-relieving benefits to their caregivers,” said Cheryl Harding, CEO of the James L. West Center. “For many affected by dementia, especially those living at home, getting out can be a huge undertaking. Thanks to the generosity of Gary Cole and the arts community, we’re able to make the arts accessible to the dementia community here in Fort Worth.”
The concerts are open to residents of the James L. West Center and their caregivers. A December “Sounds of the Season” concert featuring the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra at the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth will be accessible to James L. West Center residents and their caregivers, as well as others in the community affected by dementia. The event is funded through the Fort Worth Arts Council and the Gary Patterson Foundation.
A spring performance with the Texas Ballet Theatre at First Presbyterian will also be open to West Center residents and the wider dementia community. Concert invitations for both the December and spring concerts will be distributed through healthcare providers and other senior living facilities that work directly with dementia patients.
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the James L. West Center. Founded in 1993 by Eunice West in honor of her husband, James L. West, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, the Center has since served more than 2,500 families and 14,000 caregivers and has been an innovator in the field of dementia care. In addition to a 100-person residential program, the center offers a Senior Adult Day Program for people with dementia and training for healthcare providers and caregivers in how to best manage dementia in their loved ones.
“We believe those with dementia deserve to be treated with dignity and in a way that maximizes their remaining abilities,” Harding said.
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About the James L. West Center
The James L. West Center is a not-for-profit organization which serves people with dementia and their families in a compassionate and spiritual environment. This Center is dedicated to providing individualized care and support to enhance the quality and dignity of each person’s life throughout the course of the disease. By participating in meaningful research and sharing its experience and knowledge, the Center is committed to enriching lives now and in the future. For more information visit www.jameslwest.org.
About Alzheimer’s disease & Dementia
Sons of the Flag, a non-profit organization that supports military, veteran and first-responder burn survivors and their families through funding for innovative research, treatment and education, presented a $120,000 gift to Parkland Foundation on December 10. It is the largest gift that the organization has given to date to fund both programs and equipment for the Parkland Health & Hospital System Regional Burn Center.
The following programs will receive support:
-The Parkland Burn Survivor Support Group – underwriting supports educational materials, professional speakers and lunch for participants throughout the year.
-Substantial support for Sons of the Flag’s existing endowment for use throughout the year to provide burn care for survivors and their families.
In addition to programs, SOTF donated special equipment:
-Vecta Distraction Station – used to help provide distraction for patients undergoing painful procedures and wound care.
-Ultrasonic Wound Debridement System – a low-frequency ultrasound system that has been proven as a less painful alternative to surgical wound debridement and which also stimulates wound healing.
-Signostics Echonous Bladder and Vein System on AI Station – a device that provides ultrasound guidance for scanning patients’ bladders and can also be used to perform ultrasounds of the blood vessels to assist nurses with placing IV catheters.
Ryan “Birdman” Parrot, Sons of the Flag founder, president and CEO, said, “Sons of the Flag had its earliest meetings at Parkland, so we have been connected to the burn unit there since our founding. We are grateful to give you these funds to provide the critical, life-saving care to help burn patients survive, and provide ongoing medical and emotional support that is so important for recovery after such a traumatic injury. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, and keep up the great work.”
Beth Dexter, Parkland Foundation development officer, said, “On behalf of Parkland, thank you to Ryan, Sons of the Flag, your board of directors and volunteers for this extraordinary gift. Your love, passion and support will help our burn patients. And the gift made for the endowment will help patients in perpetuity.”
Brett Arnoldo, MD, medical director of Parkland’s Burn Center, added, “Thank you for this gift which will provide life-saving tools and treatment to even more patients.”
About Sons of the Flag | www.sonsoftheflag.org
Sons of the Flag is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting military, veteran, and first responder burn survivors and their families by providing funding for innovative research, technology and education. They bring together passionate community leaders, pioneering physicians, experienced military service members, dedicated first responders and purposeful civilians to complete their mission. Learn more about the organization and follow its news and upcoming events on Twitter @sonsoftheflag and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfTheFlag.
From their November Press Release:
(COPPELL, TEXAS – November 28, 2018) – Taylor’s Gift Foundation is expanding its mission and evolving to become Outlive Yourself Foundation. Formed in partnership with Dallas-based organ procurement organization, Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA), the newly named foundation will continue to honor and support the gift of life. Taylor’s Gift was founded by Todd and Tara Storch in 2010 after the unexpected death of their 13-year-old daughter, Taylor. Taylor’s Gift Foundation has become a positive force in changing the conversation about organ donation and supporting organ donor families across multiple states. Taylor’s Gift also made an impact by encouraging individuals nationally to “Outlive Yourself.” Those two words have spurred people not only to become registered organ donors, but to think about how they are making a lasting difference in the lives of others. “The Coppell community has been our biggest advocates and champions since we began Taylor’s Gift in 2010,” said Todd Storch. “We won’t ever have enough words to say thank you to this incredible community and look forward to the new journey ahead.”
The Outlive Yourself Foundation plans to focus on three key objectives: driving research and education that will lead to more successful organ transplants; supporting the donation of organ and tissues while educating the public on the importance of donation; and supporting the needs of donor families and transplant recipients.
“Todd and I are thrilled with where this path has led. The partnership with STA has opened up ways to make an even more significant impact in the world of organ donation,” said Tara Storch. “We are an organ donor family, and one of the many things we are passionate about is continuing to provide support to donor families as well as organ transplant recipients. The opportunity to do that via Outlive Yourself Foundation is just tremendous.”
Tara Storch will serve as president of the new foundation, and Taylor’s Gift’s Executive Director Emily Allbright will transition to Executive Director of Outlive Yourself Foundation.
“We’ve been honored to have loyal supporters who believe in our mission,” said Allbright. “I can’t wait to share this new future with them, because I know they will be passionate about supporting this opportunity to make an even bigger impact.”
The new foundation will be part of STA under the leadership of President and CEO Patti Niles. On November 14, STA broke ground for a new state-of-the-art transplant facility in Dallas, which will include an area for donor family services and support called Taylor’s Place. “As we began to consider all the organ donation needs a foundation could help address, it only made sense to partner with Taylor’s Gift,” said Niles. “I’m just thrilled about what’s to come with Outlive Yourself Foundation.”
About Outlive Yourself Foundation:
About Southwest Transplant Alliance:
For more than 40 years, STA has been saving lives by recovering donated organs for individuals awaiting a lifesaving transplant. In April of 2017, STA began recovering tissue to improve lives. STA is among the largest of 58 federally designated, nonprofit organ procurement organizations (OPOs). Founded in 1974, STA has facilitated more than 25,000 organs for recovery and enhanced the lives of tens of thousands of people. STA is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and is accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). The organization serves communities in North Texas, Beaumont, Bryan/College Station, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Galveston, Midland/Odessa, Temple, Wichita Falls and Tyler. For more information, go to www.organ.org. Sign up to be an organ donor today at www.DonateLifeTexas.org.