Page 3 - Southern Exposure - December '23
P. 3
Southern Exposure, Page 3
Charity EvEnt from page 1
wrapped up in a
Saturday Night Live
(SNL) theme. With
four-plus decades
of iconic characters
to choose from,
2023’s attendees
had no shortage
of wild and crazy
inspiration for the
evening. With the
support of hundreds Classic SNL skits pulsed from big screen TVs, fun music and Lissa Gumson, whose oldest daughter, Ava, was diagnosed
of the firm’s friends kept the energy high and people on their feet, there were photo as a baby with Aicardi Syndrome, a rare congenital neurological
and family over ops in front of iconic SNL backdrops and the food and drinks seizure disorder which inhibits the normal development of motor
the years, Adam from Tequesta Country Club staff dressed as Coneheads kept skills, sight and speech, causing mild to profound developmental
and Lissa Gumson everyone fueled in style. delays. When she was diagnosed, the Gumsons were informed
of Jupiter Law Flint Technologies donated a laptop computer as it has for that Ava’s life expectancy was no more than two years. Now
Center have raised many years, It’s Sugar contributed boxes of Schweddy Balls, 19, Ava continues to defy the odds. She attends The Learning
almost $600,000 and golf-related raffle items provided by Tequesta Country Academy on the campus of the Els Center of Excellence and
in donations to the Club to ensure that spirits were high and contributions kept although she is nonverbal, severely delayed and has multiple
Aicardi Syndrome coming as everyone tried their luck in the evening’s games of daily seizures, she is a happy, joyful girl.
Foundation, a 100 chance. And of course, Jupiter Law Center’s staff once again Adam and Lissa have become more and more involved with
percent volunteer put in countless hours of coordination and were there for the the foundation each year. What started as a small party with
run nonprofit evening, insuring guests were welcomed and coordinating friends and family hosted at the Gumsons’ home in the early
organization. donations and raffle efforts. years has blossomed into a major annual event now held at the
The signature Nearly $40,000 was raised for the Aicardi Syndrome Tequesta Country Club. The monies raised since 2006 help the
event is an Annual Foundation and more donations will continue to arrive through foundation to fund research grants at both Baylor University
Halloween Aicardi the balance of the year. The event is a passion project for Adam and the University of California at San Francisco, underwrite
Costume Party. the cost of wheelchairs and equipment that otherwise may not
This year’s October be obtainable and subsidize the cost for Aicardi families to
extravaganza saw attend the every-other-year Family Conference where people
attendees dressing from all over the world gather to exchange information. This,
like their favorite SNL character. From the “nice” of in turn, enhances each family’s ability to care for its own
Roseanna Roseannadanna to the “naughty” that can’t be Aicardi child. Since only 4,000 girls worldwide are afflicted
printed in a polite paper (let’s just say there were strategically with Aicardi Syndrome, there is very little money for research
placed holiday wrapped boxes involved), partygoers reached and the foundation is made up entirely of volunteers (mostly
into the archives for inspiration. The muse for this annual the affected families and their extended family and friends).
affair – Lissa and Adam’s daughter Ava – came as a Spartan To learn more about Aicardi Syndrome, the Aicardi
cheerleader (as did many others in attendance), ready to cheer Syndrome Foundation or Ava Shaye Gumson and/or the other
on guests who donned costumes spanning the decades, from Aicardi girls, log on to www.aicardisyndromefoundation.
the early years of Killer Bees, Blues Brothers, Land Sharks, org and/or www.ouraicardilife.org or contact Jupiter Law
Wild and Crazy Guys and Father Guido Sarducci to Da Bears Center at (561) 744-4600 if you have any other questions
fans, Hans and Franz, Wayne and Garth, Mary Katherine about Aicardi Syndrome or about how you can help support
Gallagher, Opera Man, and Sally O’Malley. the foundation.
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