11 minute read
Philanthropic Highlights
FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is the largest energy company in the United States, as measured by retail electricity produced and sold, serving more than five million customer accounts or an estimated 10 million+ people across the state of Florida. Beyond serving as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities, FPL is passionate about making a positive impact through philanthropy. A $1 million donation from the organization is benefiting Miami Cancer Institute’s Pediatric Radiation Oncology Program, which is also assisted by the Live Like Bella® Childhood Cancer Foundation. FPL is playing an essential role in helping maintain proton therapy, which reduces damage to the body caused from radiation. People with cancer who receive radiation treatment, especially children, are at risk for permanent damage to their healthy organs. Thanks to FPL, their generosity will ensure that more children will have access to receiving proton therapy, decreasing their chances of unnecessary tissue damage, which can result in major stunting and lifelong side effects. Both FPL and Baptist Health share a common goal – pursuing excellence through continuous improvement and constantly striving to seek out new technology to improve the service we provide to our community.
MIAMI DOLPHINS FOUNDATION
Through the generosity of the Miami Dolphins Foundation, Baptist Health and the Dolphins organization have once again aligned to make a difference in the community. With a $1.5 million gift from the Miami Dolphins Foundation, Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute’s Youth Athletic Outreach Program is receiving the support needed to continue providing athletic trainers at every varsity football game in Miami-Dade County, voluntary EKGs to all student-athletes, preparticipation screenings, baseline testing, conditioning tests and continuing education in sports medicine. Because no athlete or school is ever charged for these professional services, funding is essential. The generosity demonstrated by The Miami Dolphins Foundation makes certain that the program can continue reaching as many student-athletes as possible, preventing injuries, growing the game of football and emphasizing to the community that the safety of our youth athletes is important. The Dolphins organization is committed to making a positive impact throughout South Florida and the expansion of this longstanding partnership with Baptist Health symbolizes the importance both organizations place in making sure our community stays healthy, educated and united to keep our youth football programs safe.
FPL’s partnership with Baptist Health will help Miami Cancer Institute continue extending this innovative proton therapy treatment to the children in our community. Our children are tomorrow’s leaders, and no child should ever be robbed of his or her youth because of the grim diagnosis of cancer. Proton therapy is ideal for treating pediatric cancer because its precision minimizes unwanted side effects. Effective and efficient proton therapy helps shorten treatment times so our children can get back to being children. – Eric Silagy, FPL President & CEO 6 Baptist Health Foundation 2019 We are proud to partner with Baptist Health South Florida on this important program. Their initiatives align with our core pillars of supporting youth sports and specifically, safety in youth football. We look at this commitment as just the beginning to a stronger philanthropic partnership moving forward where we can impact the community in a big way together.
Shortly after Liana and Carlos de Mena celebrated their first wedding anniversary, they received exciting news – they were expecting a baby. The soon to be parents’ world shifted when their eldest son, Carlos Ray, was born at 25 weeks, weighing only 2 lbs. 1 oz. Their son spent three months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Baptist Hospital of Miami, and they sat at his bedside each and every day. Today, Carlos Ray is nine years old and is stronger than ever. Liana and Carlos are eternally grateful for the ways Baptist Health cares for families like theirs and to express their gratitude, they donated $60,000 to the NICU at Baptist Hospital in honor of their son. For their family, philanthropy means generosity in action, it means being part of building a better future for their loved ones. By supporting the NICU, Liana and Carlos are helping to increase the quality of care provided by the unit so that other families can experience watching their children grow up in the same way they have watched Carlos Ray. The support Liana and Carlos received from their doctors, nurses and support staff while Carlos Ray was being cared for at Baptist Hospital gave them the confidence to try for babies’ number two and three. Today, they are a family of five with three healthy children.
Giving to Baptist honors our son – his first breath, his first step, his first word, the childhood he has been able to have; Baptist made that possible for our family. Our pledge honors the people that helped us when we most needed it. Giving to Baptist Health honors our family – the promise of our future and the memory of our past.
– Liana and Carlos de Mena
ROSARIO RICO-TORO KORN
Rosario Rico-Toro Korn became involved with Baptist Health after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Upon her mother’s diagnosis, Rosario brought her mother from Bolivia to seek treatment at Miami Cancer Institute. After receiving treatment from the Institute, her mother is now proudly cancer-free and Rosario has shown her appreciation for the care given to her mother through philanthropy. After discussions with Gouindarajan Narayanan, M.D., chief of interventional oncology at Miami Cancer Institute and interventional radiologist at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Rosario took the initiative and made a $100,000 gift in support of a new CT scan, which will help guide physicians during laparoscopic procedures. By being the first to make a donation in support of a new CT Scan, Rosario is leading the way for others to contribute and showing us all the importance of giving back. With a new CT Scan, which will be entirely funded by donations, physicians will have the opportunity to treat cancer via image guided, minimally invasive procedures. Philanthropy has always been important to Rosario. As a parent, she instills in her children the importance of giving back to one’s community and striving to make a meaningful difference. She also takes immense pride in seeing miracles brought forward by philanthropy to positively touch and enrich lives. Rosario now serves on the Baptist Health Foundation Board of Directors, Miami Cancer Institute Council and the Baptist Health International Services Council.
I give to Baptist Health primarily because of the incredible care my mother received at Miami Cancer Institute during her fight with cancer. Additionally, I support Baptist because of its undeniable commitment to comfort and quality healthcare from South Florida’s best doctors.
PHILANTHROPIC HIGHLIGHTS
ALFREDO TEJERA
When it was time for Alfredo Tejera to retire from Assurant, he knew he wanted to spend his time giving back to the local community. Desiring to unite friends, fun and fundraising, Alfredo hosted a disco-themed retirement fundraiser, which he called Studio 31, representing the late 1970’s disco era and the 31 years he worked at Assurant, with the proceeds benefiting Miami Cancer Institute. Alfredo’s father-in-law passed away from cancer. He recognized that this disease affects so many families and he wanted to do something to make a difference. For every dollar Alfredo raised at Studio 31, Assurant generously agreed to match the funds in an effort to encourage more donations. It was Alfredo’s hope to not only raise funds for Miami Cancer Institute, but to raise awareness, as well. At the end of the evening, each guest received educational information about Miami Cancer Institute, which later resulted in cancer diagnoses for two of his guests who decided to make appointments at the Institute after attending Studio 31. The fundraiser, in conjunction with Assurant, donated $20,700 to the Institute. Alfredo’s effort served two purposes – raising funds to build a world without cancer and helping spread awareness about Miami Cancer Institute and its vision for their team to work together to accelerate progress toward their ultimate goal of finding a cure for cancer.
Studio 31 was a creation to utilize my retirement as a launch pad to celebrate family and friends in a fun themed event while raising funds for Miami Cancer Institute that is generating advanced cancer care treatment solutions and research that is directly benefiting local members of our community.
After Hurricane Irma destroyed much of Fishermen’s Community Hospital in 2017, a philanthropic goal of $15 million was set to contribute to the total $40 million estimated to build a new hospital. Husband and wife duos Mike and Lindsay Leonard and Jim Rifkin and Jane Packard, who are all residents of Marathon, stepped up to help lead the fundraising efforts. These core four answered the call to bring their community together after devastation and have helped raise an astonishing $13.4 million thus far. Mike, Lindsay, Jim and Jane understand how important this rebuild is for their community and have poured their hearts into this campaign. For them, this is not just about raising funds for a new building, this is an investment in their community – their home. Their commitment, hard work and determination is ensuring that future members of their community will have access to healthcare. The bond that has been developed in the Marathon community is stronger than ever and continues to be a source of inspiration and motivation for Mike, Lindsay, Jim and Jane. Generations to come will forever be impacted by everything they have accomplished.
The rewarding part of the fundraising is the bond that has developed here in Marathon of those that are financially supporting the hospital and the ability to see the overall picture. This is an investment in our community for the benefit of our residents, businesses and the thousands of people who visit our great city each year. That is exciting and that is what drives us.
– Mike and Lindsay Leonard, Jim Rifkin and Jane Packard
The patriarch of the Dotson family, Albert E. Dotson, Sr., has served on Baptist Health Boards throughout the years and as a result, has witnessed Baptist Health’s faith-focused commitment to health, wellbeing and professional, empathetic medical care. Over the years, many members of the Dotson family have been recipients of Baptist Health’s high-quality, compassionate care – from the birth of family members, to the treatment of health challenges. To commemorate the legacy of Albert and Earlene Dotson, Sr. at Baptist Health, the family made a gift of more than $1 million to fund Baptist Health’s efforts in providing patients with compassionate care supported by the latest technology at Miami Cancer Institute. As pillars in our community and true visionaries for Baptist Health, the Dotson family continues to impact our community in ways that will never be forgotten. By setting an inspiring example highlighting the importance of family, leading by faith and spreading kindness to all, our community is a better, more compassionate place. The Dotson family will forever remain a part of Baptist Health’s fabric because of their commitment to our mission and their generosity to help our organization bring forward meaningful healthcare.
Albert and Earlene Dotson, Sr. have made philanthropy and community service a part of The Dotson Family ethos since their union. Both of them recognize that they have benefited from the kindness and thoughtfulness of so many during their lifetime and that their faith commands service to others. They have led the Family’s efforts through their own engagement and service in each of the communities in which the Dotson Family has resided. Each member of the Dotson Family has followed the lead of Mr. and Mr. Dotson, Sr. for the same reasons.
THE HARRY T. MANGURIAN, JR. FOUNDATION, INC.
Several years ago, officers from The Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation, Inc. met Bernardo Fernandez, M.D., who serves as Chief Executive Officer of Baptist Health Medical Group. Most recently Dr. Fernandez began having discussions centered on an innovative concept called telehealth, The Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation, Inc. knew they wanted to provide philanthropic support. A $2 million gift from the Foundation has directly benefited the exploration, development, procurement and implementation of telehealth solutions at Baptist Health in order to provide our community with more access to healthcare. Telehealth (or telemedicine) is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status. It includes a growing variety of applications and services such as videoconferencing, email, smart phones, electronic imaging, wireless tools and other forms of medical and telecommunications technology. For the Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation, Inc., philanthropy is important because it provides essential funding in our community for programs involving education, medical research, disease awareness and other notable and worthy causes. Without philanthropic dollars, progress in each of these areas would be slow-moving or even non-existent.
As a measure of the effectiveness or success of philanthropic grants, it is important to first perform adequate due diligence regarding any proposal, followed by a reporting structure for the stewardship of the funds. In both cases, our relationship with Baptist Health has successfully met those requirements.
