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.
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Out with Spring...In with Summer
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It has truly been a fantastic and busy end to the spring season for
Fresh Start For Kids Foundation! Volunteers, patient families, and staff spent the evening with Fresh Start Caring For Kids' Celebrity Spokesperson, Jermaine Dye, and the
Chicago White Sox on April 22nd at
Fun with the Chicago White Sox
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Fresh Start
hosted its tenth Surgery Weekend on May 20th in Chicago, which marks the organization's third year of existence. We brought the spring season to a celebratory end with the
Third Annual Celebrity Golf Classic - Hosted by Jermaine Dye on June 12th. It has been such a great experience to meet new people and reconnect with existing supporters.
We greatly appreciate the support we have received this spring, and we look forward to welcoming summer!
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Recap of the 2017 Celebrity Golf Classic - Hosted by Jermaine Dye
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Special thanks to Jermaine Dye (Chicago White Sox,
2005 World Series MVP) for hosting a wonderful golf event. In addition, special thanks to our Honorary Chairperson, Barry Golden, for his hard work and diligence.
On the morning of Monday, June 12th, golfers brought their best golf shot to the
Celebrity Golf Classic at
The Glen Club in Glenview, Illinois. The golf event was followed by a luncheon at the same location. The luncheon included an opportunity to mingle with guests and other celebrities, experience live entertainment, and participate in live and silent auctions.
Special thanks to our very generous sponsors and supporters for their donations of food, drinks, desserts, music, and printing. In addition,
Fresh Start is very grateful to the celebrity attendees, golfers, guests, and volunteers.
Here is a list of the celebrities who attended the event:
Jermaine Dye (Host)
Marcus Allen Harold Baines Marshall Faulk
Kyle Fuller Chuck Garfien Mike Huff
Bo Jackson Carlos May Dan Pasqua
Scott Podsednik Adam Russell Bradley Sowell
Frank Thomas
Bronze Sponsor
Underwriter Sponsor
Tee Sponsors
In-Kind Sponsors
In-Kind Donors
Food Sponsors
Auction Item Donors
Jermaine Dye Shari Brasher American Girl
Apple Vacations Bob Chinn's Crab House
Bo Jackson's Give Me a Chance Foundation
Buona Beef Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox
Core Power Yoga Dangerous Mike Music, LLC
Dr. David Song Elmhurst Art Museum
Fairytale Photography Fresh Start Surgical Gifts
Gibsons Restaurant Group GoCharity
Jane's Hallmark Kingston Mines Kitchfix
Lloyd Ball Peachtree Place Perron Rigot
Pinstripes Razny Jewelers Richard Dent
Riu Hotels and Resorts SoulCycle
The Wardrobe Concierge Wines For Humanity
Please use the links and passwords listed below to view photos from the event.
Password: whitesoxmvp
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Surgery Weekend Recap
May 2017
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The surgeries performed included Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS) revisions, coupe de sabre repair, insertion of a hearing device, bilateral otoplasty, and bilateral breast reduction on a male gynecomastia patient.
We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationships with our key stakeholders during future Surgery Weekends.
Upcoming Surgery Weekend Date:
September 30-October 1, 2017
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Patient Spotlight: Meet Tobias
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Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation
would like to introduce 14-year-old, Tobias. He is a tech-savvy teenager who enjoys PC gaming, creating comics, and solving Rubik's Cubes. He also takes pleasure in operating six meme pages, spending time with his friends, and playing basketball and football.
Tobias developed gynecomastia, which is the enlargement of the glandular tissue of male breasts. It is a condition that results from an imbalance in the hormonal environment in the body. Tobias says, "No matter how much you work out or try to tone your chest, it won't go away."
Tobias confesses, "If I had not received help from
Fresh Start, I probably would have stayed in my room, dropped out of school, and avoided going outside and interacting with people at all costs. I was very embarrassed by my condition. I wore baggy shirts and hunched my back so no one could see my chest." On May 20th, Tobias received his much-desired surgery from
Fresh Start at
Comer Children's Hospital to remove the excess breast tissue.
Tobias is on the road to recovery from his surgery. He states, "If it wasn't for
Fresh Start, I would never have been able to get this surgery. To some it may not seem like a big deal, but to hate your body is so hurtful. It affects your everyday life and everything you do. It has not been long since the surgery. The difference in my image has already made me smile more, stand up straight, and be more involved with others."
Tobias is eternally grateful for
Fresh Start. He says, "I just want to thank
Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation. You have no idea how much I appreciate what you did for me. I don't even have the words to express how happy I am that we found you."
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Harper College Fashion Department Students Use Their Talents to Show Appreciation to Surgical Staff
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Thank you to Carol Ann Jacovich-Ochwat, our Medical Program Coordinator, for establishing the partnership with
Harper College
. Special thanks to our friends from the
Harper College Fashion Department
for using their skills to enable us to provide practical and functional tokens of appreciation to the surgical staff who generously donate their time during Surgery Weekends!
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Fun with the Chicago White Sox
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On Saturday, April 22, 2017,
Fresh Start Caring For Kids hosted
Fun with the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. Many thanks to our Celebrity Spokesperson, Jermaine Dye; patient families; and volunteers who contributed to a special evening of fun as we watched the
White Sox
compete against the Cleveland Indians. Special thanks to our friends from the
Chicago White Sox
, who helped us coordinate the event and share our mission with a wider audience.
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| Fresh Start Surgical Gifts (based in San Diego, California) 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
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*Proud winner of the Make It Better Foundation 2015 Philanthropy Award - Health & Wellness
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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!
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Follow and "Like" Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation on Facebook and Twitter
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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).
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Save the Date!
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Upcoming Surgery Weekend Date
- September 30-October 1, 2017
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