By Arlene MASSIMINO

At the September meeting of La Cañada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild (LCFOG), Danielle Barrios, assistant director Volunteer Services for Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC), was showered with good wishes and gifts for the upcoming arrival of her first baby. She received a giant teddy bear and its baby bear to help decorate the nursery. Surprise guest at the meeting was Mary Beth Perrine, senior director Development & Community Outreach. Barrios and Perrine attend the Guild’s meetings and are liaisons between LCFOG and OIC. LCFOG is celebrating 59 years of caring and support for OIC, formerly known as Orthopaedic Hospital.

LCFOG members were recently given an in-depth tour of OIC’s Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) in downtown Los Angeles prior to any surgeries being performed in the ASC. They were able to view the surgical units up close and received an explanation of its many working parts. In a hallway outside the operating rooms is a plaque commending LCFOG for their donation of $100,000 to OIC toward the construction of the ASC. It is the only stand-alone surgery center in Los Angeles County that is designed to exclusively treat kids with orthopaedic conditions. The state-of-the-art facility is under the direction of medical director Dr. Mauricio Silva and boasts 13,000 square feet that house two operating rooms, a six-bed recovery area and a family waiting area. The ASC provides timely surgical care for children with fractures, knee injuries (sports injuries), extremity disorders and tumors. It reduces surgery wait time thereby helping to prevent serious or permanent damage. Most importantly, OIC’s Ambulatory Surgery Center provides caring for all kids regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

LCFOG helps to accomplish the goal of Caring for All Kids by raising funds for OIC.  The main fundraiser for the local Guild is the annual Book and Author Luncheon that will be held Oct. 25 at the Angeles National Golf Club. Co-chairs Ginney Pruitt and Carolyn Geer have been hard at work organizing this year’s event. Authors have been chosen and invitations have been distributed.  Silent auction prizes have been secured. Anyone interested in attending this event while supporting Orthopaedic Institute for Children can contact Marianne Jennings (818) 398-7323 or Joan Cleven (818) 249-4603 to request an invitation be sent.

  Arlene MASSIMINO