Upcoming Events
Karaoke Night Fundraiser - Benefitting SpineHope
Join Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C. for a fun-filled, Karaoke Night Fundraiser, benefitting SpineHope! Come have some fun for a good cause as we raise funds for a SpineHope surgical mission trip this Fall.
WHEN: Friday, March 8th from 8pm-10:30pm ET
WHERE: Napper Tandy's (15 East Main Street, Smithtown, NY 11788)
TO ATTEND OR DONATE: $50pp via venmo to @Laurence-Mermelstein / $60pp at the door
RSVP by 2/26 at: spinekaraoke@gmail.com
Dr. Laurence Mermelstein and team are hosting this special evening that includes an Open Bar and Food. Special performances by: Dr Tom Dowling, Dr Laurence Mermelstein, Dr Sushil Basra, Dr Monte Dewal, Dr Zach George, Dimitri “The Song Bird of His Generation” Papadapolis, Duo of Justin Silverstein & Rich Grimaldi, Pete Ciofrone, Dan Stack, Mike Brennan, Matt Hupe….and many more. Hope to sing with you then!
Curvy Girls International Scoliosis Convention
Can't say enough about the 2023 Curvy Girls BACK Together Convention in Long Island, New York! SpineHope was honored to attend this outstanding event which gathered over 175 young ladies with scoliosis from around the world to talk about scoliosis, share their stories, connect with peers, and support each other. While there, SpineHope was presented with donated goody bags, filled with items personally selected by each Curvy Girls' attendee along with special notes for upcoming SpineHope patients! Can't wait to see the faces of the recipients when they receive these thoughtful care packages. SpineHope is grateful to all who contributed...and what a kind way to show others they are not alone. Click to read more!
New York Karaoke Night – Sing for SpineHope
OH WHAT A NIGHT…Some photos are finally in! Thank you Long Island Spine Specialists (LISS) for organizing and hosting the incredibly fun Karaoke Night Fundraising Event – Sing for SpineHope – last month in New York! Special shoutout to all the brave and talented singers including, Dr. Tom Dowling, Dr. Larry Mermelstein, Dr. Monte De Wal, Dr. Sushil Basra, Dr. Zach George, Dr. Rich Johnson, Bari Sue Mermelstein, Jon Block, LISS Staff, and other supporters.
And, finally, THANK YOU to all who attended and donated to support SpineHope programs and our children served. We are grateful!
2022 WALK TALL Virtual Fundraiser
Thank you to all who participated in the 2022 WALK TALL Fundraiser. Because of you we will be able o bring at least 2 youth to Texas for corrective spine surgery in 2023!
Ecuador Surgical Trip
https://vimeo.com/710976802?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=27437470
After a long awaited return due to the COVID pandemic, the SpineHope team finally made it back to Ecuador, May 8 – 15, 2022, for a pediatric spine surgical trip. Dr. Matthew Geck and the SpineHope team worked alongside host spine surgeon, Dr. Hazem Nicola, the Hospital de los Valles, and the Fundación El Cielo Para los Niños, to help children with complex spinal deformities. During this week-long trip we were able to evaluate twenty-four children in an all-day clinic and performed five successful corrective spine surgeries.
Thank you to the team of outstanding volunteers willing to donate their time and talents to make miracles happen:
– Brandon Black, Medtronic Implant/Product Representative
– Curtis Jackson, Medtronic Implant/Product Representative
– Kim King, Onsite and Clinic Coordinator/Translator
– Matthew Geck, Spine Surgeon/SpineHope Representative
– Sophie Aliece Hollis, Clinic Support/Translator
– Whitney Scurlock, Medtronic Implant/Product Representative
– Wynn Bridges Gordy, NuVasive Neuromonitoring Tech
Thank you Medtronic for donating critical spinal implants, product, and equipment as well as NuVasive for donating neuromonitoring services for this week’s spine surgeries. We are excited to be working together once again to build a sustainable pediatric spine program in Ecuador and look forward to planning our next trip in fall of 2022.
WALK TALL Virtual Fundraiser
THANK YOU to all who participated in WALK TALL 2021! We have many generous donors and event sponsors to thank for their kind hearts and willingness to bring hope to those who need it most. Please accept this heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who sponsored the event, donated, bid on silent auction prizes, donated silent auction prizes, volunteered, and shared this mission with your family and friends to raise awareness.
THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS:
Yoga Flow For Good
Many thanks to those who participated in Yoga Flow For Good last weekend! We are so grateful to each of you for joining this first-time SpineHope event to raise awareness for scoliosis and spine-related conditions. Special thanks to Ingrid Villarreal and nonprofit SWEAT X SERVE for making this class possible and sharing a message of gratitude and hope on a solemn day. The fight for complex spine care continues thanks to a growing community of those who care! To check out SWEAT X SERVE’s On Demand classes, including Hatha Yoga, Mat Pilates Fusion, Barre and Yoga Sculpt, click here: https://sweatxserve.wixsite.com/site/on-demand.
Kendra Scott Shop For Good Event
THANK YOU to all who participated in-store and online in Kendra Gives Back! And a huge thank you to Kendra Scott for their continued support of SpineHope kids. SpineHope volunteer, Dana Wilcox, won the jewelry raffle and went home with a donated Kendra Scott silver pendant necklace. Heartfelt appreciation for all who took the time to participate and shop for GOOD!
WALK TALL Virtual Fundraiser
2020 WALK TALL Benefit – Virtual Fundraiser was a huge success! Our goal was to raise funds to bring Trixia Leongas, a 14 year old teenager from the Philippines, who suffers from severe scoliosis to Austin for spine surgery and treatment in 2021. We exceeded our goal and raised enough for almost 3 children! We are grateful for our sponsors, participants, silent auction donors, and volunteers who made this happen. Look for Miss Trixia to come to Austin in 2021.
Karaoke Night Fundraiser with Spine Surgeons
A HUGE THANK YOU to Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C. for hosting the fun-filled, Karaoke Night Fundraiser, benefitting SpineHope on January 31st. Dr. Laurence Mermelstein (SpineHope volunteer surgeon), Dr. Thomas Dowling and others raised their mics and brought in $4,000 to support SpineHope programs! We are truly grateful for their generosity, kindness and support for our mission and the children we serve!
SpineHope Surgical Trip to Ecuador
Our inaugural surgical trip was November 2 – 9, 2019 at the Hospital de los Valles. The trip was a success. We performed 3 spine surgeries and saw over a dozen children in clinic. We look forward to planning surgical trips in 2020 and beyond, collaborating to build a sustainable spine program in Ecuador. Thank you to the following SpineHope volunteers who made this trip possible:
Ryan Murdock, Spine Surgeon
Alec Stall, Spine Surgeon
Jorge Guerrero, Anesthesiologist/OR Translator
Curtis Jackson, Medtronic Implant/Product Representative
Brandon Black, Medtronic Implant/Product Representative
Bridges Gordy, NuVasive Neuromonitoring Tech
Emily Kegans, Sentry Neuromonitoring Tech
Kimberley King, Co-Onsite Coordinator
Keely Williams, Co-Onsite Coordinator
Jacinto Real, OR Nurse/Translator
We are deeply appreciative of the volunteers who donated their time and resources to join the SpineHope team as well as the host hospital team that hosted us. A special thank you to Medtronic (donated critical implants and biologics for this trip), as well as NuVasive and Sentry Neuromonitoring (donated neuromonitoring services).
For more information about this program
SpineHope Surgical Trip to Ukraine
It is with great pleasure that SpineHope announces a new global outreach effort in the Ukraine. In collaboration with host surgeon, Dr. Igor Kurilets (International Neurosurgery Center in Kiev), and the nonprofits, Razom for Ukraine and the National Foundation for Scoliosis in Ukraine, we will be working together in efforts to build a pediatric spine program for Ukrainian children suffering from severe spinal deformities and other complex spine conditions. In addition to providing charity spine surgery and post-op care to children in need, this program will offer training and education to surgeons, medical staff, and medical students in the region on advanced surgical techniques and spine safety protocols.
Our inaugural surgical trip took place October 7-13, 2019 at the Stryi Central District Hospital. The trip was a considerable success. Thank you to the following SpineHope volunteers who made this trip possible:
Matthew Geck, Spine Surgeon
Luke Tomycz, Neurosurgeon
Jorge Guerrero, Anesthesiologist
Brandon Black, Medtronic Implant/Product Representative
Bridges Gordy, NuVasive Neuromonitoring Tech
Kimberley King, Co-Onsite Coordinator
Anya Siryk, Co-Onsite Coordinator/Translator
We are deeply appreciative of the volunteers who donated their time and resources to join the SpineHope team as well as the host hospital team, all dedicated to launching a sustainable program that will impact Ukrainian children for years to come. A special thank you to Medtronic (donated critical implants and biologics for this trip), as well as NuVasive (donated neuromonitoring services).
We look forward to the beginning of a transformational partnership!
2019 WALK TALL Austin Benefit
Thank you to all who came out for the 2019 WALK TALL Austin Benefit on April 25th! We appreciate the generosity of our sponsors, attendees and volunteers who made the evening a huge success. We will now be able to bring at least 4 children to Austin for charity spine surgery.
EVENT SPONSORS:
Kendra Scott Gives Back Party in The Woodlands, Texas
What a wonderful turnout! We are grateful to all who participated in the Kendra Scott Gives Back Party, including: Samuel Lopez Esteban’s Mother, Marleny, Carmela Pinzone as well as the amazing team from Sentry Neuromonitoring (including Keely Williams, Emily Kegans and Jaclyn Felts) who rallied the troops in a big way! So appreciative to Kendra Scott for hosting this event and helping raise $1,975 for SpineHope.
2018 WALK TALL Austin Benefit Reception
Thank you to all who sponsored and attended the 2018 WALK TALL Austin Benefit Reception on April 19th…We had an outstanding turnout! Not only were we able to raise the funds necessary to bring 3 children to Austin, Texas for spine surgery in the Fall, but we also raised additional funds that will go towards sponsoring a child in 2019! We appreciate and celebrate all who contributed and helped us achieve our goal.
Kendra Scott Gives Back Party in Woodlands, Texas
Thank you Kendra Scott, everyone who attended the Kendra Scott Give Back Party and especially to the Sentry Neuromonitoring team, led by Keely Floyd, who made this event possible for SpineHope! The turnout was fantastic. 20% of all purchases during the event benefitted SpineHope global outreach and U.S. Hub programs, raising just under $1,500. We look forward to this event in 2018!
GoDance Summer Showcase
We are grateful to GoDance for selecting SpineHope as their featured charity for this event! Proceeds supported SpineHope programs and our mission to help children around the world get the spine surgery needed to allow them to dance and pursue their dreams. Thank you GoDance for your generosity!
Kendra Scott Gives Back Party
Austinites and fellow Texans, joined us once again for the Kendra Scott Gives Back to SpineHope Party at the South Congress location. 20% of all purchases during the event benefitted SpineHope global outreach and U.S. Hub programs!
Thank you to all who participated in this fun event!
WALK TALL Austin Benefit
The 2017 WALK TALL Austin benefit encourages the Texas community to support and get involved with the SpineHope mission. Based in Austin, SpineHope has helped hundreds of children worldwide, suffering from severe spinal deformities, complex spine, orthopedic and neurological conditions, receive the life-changing operations their families could not afford. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we rely entirely on the generous support of our volunteers; donated medical equipment and supplies; and financial donations from corporate sponsors, partners and supportive individuals.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED!
Fall Wine Spectacular Benefit in New York to support the upcoming SpineHope Medical Mission Trip to Ethiopia
Thank you Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C. for hosting the Fall Wine Spectacular to support SpineHope, the Lelt Foundation and Ethiopian children! Thank you to all who attended and made donations during this uplifting and fun-filled event. We would also like to express our appreciation to the evening’s Diamond Sponsors (LISS, Medtronic, Inc. and Neuro Protective Solutions) and Gold Sponsors (DJO Global, Fusion Solutions, Huntington Hospital, Stand Up MRI, Scalamandre & Sons, Inc., Suffolk Anesthesia Associates and Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology Group, LLP)…we cannot do the work we do without your support! One more special thank you to Mae Caime, Marilyn Alvira and all those who volunteered and made the evening possible!
Independence of Costa Rica in Houston Celebration
Celebrating Costa Rica Independence Day with wonderful volunteers and friends. Our mission trip to Costa Rica takes a committed community of people who love to help children in need. A huge thank you to the team from SentryNeuro who generously donated their time to help run the SpineHope booth (Emily, Keely, Ali and Anand), Alistair Deakin, Carlos the Consul General of Costa Rica and Unicori for allowing us to be part of this special event. We all enjoyed meeting new people and raising awareness of our cause!
KENDRA SCOTT Gives Back Party – to Support SpineHope – Raised over $1,400
Thank you to friends and SpineHope supporters who made it out to the Kendra Scott Gives Back to SpineHope Party on July 28th! It was a lot of fun. A special thanks to Kendra Scott and her team, who took interest in our cause and hosted a fantastic event. They were wonderful! Also, a heartfelt thanks to Laura Black for being such a SpineHope champion and promoter for this event and to Sandy Puga for donating delicious baked goods from Sandy’s “Sugar Mommas Sweet Treats”. We truly appreciate all who shopped to support SpineHope. We look forward to doing it again next year!
WALK TALL Austin Benefit in Austin, Texas
Thank you to all who donated, sponsored, attended, contributed silent auction items, volunteered and supported the 2016 WALK TALL Austin Benefit. We successfully raised thousands of dollars to help children around the world…Walk Tall! We look forward to planning the 2017 WALK TALL Austin benefit! Stay tuned for details…
We are grateful to the following benefit sponsors:
Diamond Level Sponsors: Medtronic, Inc., NuVasive and SentryNeuro
Platinum Level Sponsors: Biotronic NeuroNetwork, The Deakin Family and Husch Blackwell LLP
Gold Level Sponsors: Capitol Anesthesiology Association, DePuy Synthes Companies, Encompass Home Health and Hospice, ImplantBase, K2M, Medical Express PSI, Seton Healthcare Family, and Synaptic Resources of Texas
SILENT AUCTION DONATIONS: KaleidaCare Management Solutions for donating “Walker” for our Raffle; Austin Fitness Clinic; Austin Vision Associates; Body Business Fitness Studios; Chez Nous; The Deakins; Fall Creek Vineyards; GoDance; Golfsmith; Jana Lee Gondran of Haute Chics; Jayleen Blond of Salon; Uffizi; Kathy Cantilo; KENDRA SCOTT; Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C.; Quality Seafood ; Renaissance Austin Hotel; Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol; Spa Reveil; SPEC’s; SPRING FROST Boutique; Steve Wiehe; The Dominion Golf Group; Topgolf; and The University of Texas Club
We also appreciate the following individuals who volunteered their time to make sure this event was a huge success:
KATHY CANTILO for devoting hours to assist with our Silent Auction; GRAND SCHEME PRODUCTIONS, INC. for donating the entire production process for our Global Outreach Program promotional video; MCCARTHY PRINT, INC. for their program paper donation; AMANDA BECK CREATIVE for program design service; THE TEXAS PLAYERS BAND for providing music for tonight’s benefit; JOSEPH REEVES for AV Consulting; PSAV PRESENTATION SERVICES for donating AV services; and DAVID SCOTT for being our Master of Ceremonies.
BENEFIT VOLUNTEERS: Shaidri Alrich, Berenice Bonilla, Mae Caime, Kathy Cantilo, Rebecca Cheek, Alistair Deakin, Houston Elrod, Yenei Estrada, Kristen Garner, Dallas Jahn, Joseph Reeves, David Scott and Sarah Wilson
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU ALL!
Walking on Sunshine Benefit in Mineola, New York
This benefit would not have been possible without the time, effort and support from Long Island Spine Specialists, P.C. We would also like to thank our benefit sponsors and donors who made this successful event, raising thousands of dollars to support children around the world. We are truly grateful!
Special Broadcast on Scoliosis and SpineHope
Tune-in to Seton Healthline, KLBJ 590AM/99.7FM, on Sunday, March 22nd at 4pm CT for a special broadcast focused on Scoliosis and SpineHope. Dr. Matthew Geck, Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, Co-Chief of the Seton Spine and Scoliosis Center in Austin, and Board Chairman of SpineHope, will lead the discussion by highlighting new, minimally invasive solutions for Scoliosis and raising awareness of SpineHope’s mission to help children around the world who suffer from Scoliosis and other spinal deformities.
This broadcast was recorded. The recorded podcast can be accessed at http://www.seton.net/healthline/podcast-archive/.
NYC Fall Charity Dinner
Starting at 6:00pm we’ll have a cocktail hour with music. Followed by some presentations from our SpineHope team about our patients and projects, a delicious sit-down three course dinner and a silent auction. We’ll also have an information table and SpineHope merchandise for sale. Though SpineHope’s Executive Director hails from New York, we are only in the beginning phases of building our SpineHope family and community in the New York area. So please join the movement and become involved in supporting our new hospital collaborations. We’re hoping to establish new international sites and with your support- we’ll be able to help more children in more developing nations.
Alex and Ani Event!
We are partnered up with the jewelry store Alex and Ani to fundraise and get awareness for our organization. So we would like to invite all of you to support an evening of hope. During these two hours 15% of sales will be donated to SpineHope.
