Page 3 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - March '20
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Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 3
Jupiter Law Center from page 1
Flint Technologies donated a cool laptop computer, and 10th grade, and although she is nonverbal,
raffle items provided by the Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins, severely delayed and has multiple daily
Florida Panthers and local sports venues All Sports Grill seizures, she is a happy, happy girl who
and Brass Ring Pub ensured that spirits were high and attends the Learning Academy on the
contributions kept coming as everyone tried their luck in campus of the Els Center of Excellence.
the evening’s games of chance. As the MVP of the night, she welcomed
Over $40,000 was raised for the Aicardi Syndrome guests with high 5s before calling it an
Foundation at the party and in the ensuing weeks/months early evening.
through the end of 2019. The event is a passion project for What started as a small party with
Adam and Lissa Gumson, whose oldest daughter, Ava Shaye friends and family held at the Gumsons’
Gumson, was diagnosed as a baby with Aicardi Syndrome, a home for the first 10 years has blossomed
rare congenital neurological seizure disorder which inhibits into a major annual event held at the
the normal development of motor skills, sight and speech, Tequesta Country Club. In its fourth
causing mild to profound developmental delays. When she year of hosting this party, Tequesta
was diagnosed, the Gumsons were informed that Ava’s life Country Club brought its “A” game,
expectancy was no more than two years. Ava is now 15, in serving a host of stadium-type food Average Joes
(pizza, ribs, sliders, hot
dogs, tacos and shrimp
kabobs, to name a few of
the delectable treats) and
beer and other libations.
If only watching sports at
home was this much fun!
The $420,000 raised
since 2006 thus far
helps the foundation to
fund research grants at
both Baylor University
and the University
of California at San
Francisco, underwrites Jamie and Mike
the cost of wheelchairs
and equipment that
otherwise may not be
obtainable for some
families and aids
families in attending
the biannual Family
Conference where
Aicardi families from all
over the world gather to
exchange information.
This, in turn, enhances
each family’s ability Northrops
to care for their own
Aicardi child. Since only 1,000 girls worldwide are
afflicted with the syndrome, there is very little money
for research and the foundation is made up entirely
of volunteers (mostly the affected families and their
extended family and friends).
To learn more about Aicardi Syndrome or Ava
Shaye Gumson or the other Aicardi girls, log on to
www.aicardisyndromefoundation.org and/or www.
ouraicardilife.org or contact Jupiter Law Center at (561)
744-4600 if you have any other questions about Aicardi
Syndrome or about how you can help support the Aicardi
Syndrome Foundation.
Editorial copy appearing herewith is not necessarily the viewpoint of
Seabreeze Publications of Central Florida. Most editorial copy is created by
the homeowners and is edited by their appointed editor.
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M. Sean Reid
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