E-Newsletter
November 2016

  
Our Mission

The mission of Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation is to transform the lives of disadvantaged infants, children, and teens suffering from physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse, or disease through the gift of reconstructive surgery and related healthcare services.
  
In This Issue
Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation named the November Charity of the Month by Felix's Famous Cookies
Surgery Weekend Recap - October 2016
Volunteer Spolight: Meet Tracy Lau-Esquibel, MS, CCLS
Thank you, Frontier Days!
Save the Date: 2017 Celebrity Golf Classic - Hosted by Jermaine Dye
Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation named the November Charity of the Month by Felix's Famous Cookies



 
Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation is honored to be named November's Charity of the Month by Felix's Famous Cookies. Proceeds from November sales will assist Fresh Start in helping to further its mission. Eat yummy cookies and help transform kids' lives. Please order online or visit a store today!  For more information, please visit www.felixsfamouscookies.com. Felix's Famous Cookies would make wonderful gifts this holiday season!


Surgery Weekend Recap
October 2016
On Saturday, October 8, 2016, Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation provided seven surgeries during its eighth Surgery Weekend. Surgeries took place at The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital. The procedures were performed on three children, three teenagers and one young adult.

The surgeries performed included two bilateral gynecomastia reduction liposuctions; an implant bone anchored hearing aid; a fat injection to forehead; a placement of an expander to the abdomen and excision of satellite mole; a scar revision and fat injection to the forehead; and the releasing of bands as a result of amniotic syndrome.

We are very grateful to our volunteer medical team, support staff, and The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital for their continuous support.






   
 
  
Special thanks to our food sponsors, Corner Bakery Cafe and Chipotle Mexican Grill. We greatly appreciate your generous participation and support. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationships with you both during future Surgery Weekends. 
  
    
  
Upcoming Surgery Weekend Date: 
February 25-26, 2017
Volunteer Spotlight: Tracy Lau-Esquibel, MS, CCLS
  
Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation  is delighted to introduce Tracy Lau-Esquibel, MS, CCLS, as a member of our volunteer team. Currently, she serves as Child Life Specialist II at The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital. For over a decade, Lau-Esquibel has worked in Child Life. She is a certified Child Life Specialist with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Child Life Development from the Erikson Institute.  When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, baking, crafting, and strengthening her knowledge and skills in photography. 

In 2014, Lau-Esquibel learned about The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital's partnership with Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation. Immediately, she thought that it would be a terrific opportunity for Child Life to become involved. She asserts, "Our services have a strong presence within pediatric surgery already at Comer, so it seemed natural for us to extend our support to the children and families who are fortunate to be a part of Fresh Start."

Lau-Esquibel remains thrilled about her involvement with Fresh Start. During Surgery Weekends, her role is to prepare patients for surgery by explaining the entire surgical process, describing the equipment that will be used, managing expectations of the patients, and providing comfort. She employs her training and experience to approach each patient differently based upon his/her age and development. Her role is essential because she is able to put patients at ease and make them feel comfortable about their upcoming procedures by providing them with education surrounding their surgeries. Lau-Esquibel is hopeful that Fresh Start will continues to grow, expand and continue to transform the lives of children into adulthood. She states, " Fresh Start brings a positive impact to these children's lives, and hopefully it has a long-lasting impact that will stay with them as they get older and into adulthood." 
 
On behalf of Fresh Start and our patients, we are incredibly grateful to have Lau-Esquibel as a member of our team.
 Thank you, Frontier Days!



 Fresh Start is excited to share that we have been awarded a grant by Frontier Days! We are grateful for their generosity and continuous support. For more information about Frontier Days, please visit http://www.frontierdays.org/about-us/.
 

Save the Date: 2017 Celebrity Golf Classic - Hosted by Jermaine Dye



 


For more information about tickets and sponsorships, please visit http://celebrity-golf-classic2017.eventbrite.com/ .

 



Fresh Start Surgical Gifts (based in San Diego, California) has teamed up with The Plastic Surgery Foundation to create Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation in Chicago. The addition of the Chicago site is enabling the organization grow its patient base and outreach. Surgeries are performed three times per year at The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital.

 
Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation
c/o The Plastic Surgery Foundation
444 E. Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
*Proud winner of the Make It Better Foundation 2015 Philanthropy Award - Health & Wellness
 
  
Thank You for Your Interest in Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation
  
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We are very grateful to all of our generous donors, sponsors, and volunteers! All of the overhead and administrative expenses for Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation are covered by Fresh Start Surgical Gifts and The Plastic Surgery Foundation, so that 100% of every donation directly benefits the medical needs of our patients.

 

Please contact Utica J. Gray, PhD, Chicago Regional Director of Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation, at Utica@freshstart.org or (847) 513-3326 for more information about upcoming Surgery Weekends, to volunteer, or to make a donation. If you are interested in making a donation online, please use the Paypal "donate" button above.

 

With your help, we can continue to transform the lives of children and their families. Thank you, again, for your interest and support! 

  
Follow and "Like" Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation on Facebook and Twitter
 

The Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation website (www.freshstartkids.org) is a fantastic resource for information about our medical services, applications for prospective patients, upcoming events and Surgery Weekend dates, and volunteer opportunities. We are very excited to share our website with you.

 

Please "like" us on Facebook (Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation) and follow us on Twitter (@FreshStartKids).

 
Save the Date!  

Upcoming Events 

  • Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation's 3rd Annual Celebrity Golf Classic - Hosted by Jermaine Dye (Chicago White Sox, 2005 World Series MVP) on Monday, June 12, 2017 at The Glen Club

Please contact Utica J. Gray, PhD, Chicago Regional Director of Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation, at Utica@freshstart.org or (847) 513-3326 for more details about the event or to become a sponsor.

Surgery Weekend Dates

  • February 25-26, 2017
  • May 20-21, 2017 
  • September 30-October 1, 2017
 
 
 
 
 
     

 

    

 
 
 
 
 

    

 

 

 

 

    

Photography by Danny Diaz