Tuesday, May 29, 2012

The Hartford Golf Club
West Hartford, Connecticut

           

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your interest in the 10th Annual Geno Auriemma’s “Fore the Kids” Charity Golf Tournament - where players are treated to a day filled with 18-holes of golf at the prestigious Hartford Golf Club, followed by a spectacular dinner catered by OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE of Manchester, Connecticut.

With the generous support of our players and sponsors, we raised more than $150,000 last year for the Division of Orthopaedics at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. These funds enabled the Division to expand clinical services and research programs in a number of important ways.

Elite Sports Medicine at the Medical Center is the home for Connecticut’s premier sport-related concussion program. The program, which treated over 1,000 patients last year, offers a multidisciplinary approach of treatment options to make the concussion management process a truly individualized plan for each athlete. With funds from last year’s tournament, an accelerometer, which measures the forces across athletes’ heads during various activities, was purchased. This acquisition has led to the physician involved with the program being invited to the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

The Department of Orthopedics at Connecticut Children’s was recently designated a “rare disease center” which has led to more patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease being referred to the Medical Center. CMT is one of the most commonly inherited neuropathy diseases where children slowly lose normal use of their extremities. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease but progression can be managed with physical and occupational therapy as well as surgery. The Gait Lab is being used to help evaluate the effect of surgery. Monies raised from the 2011 tournament are helping to defray the costs associated with this pilot initiative.

Plans are also underway to purchase the SCORPION software system for the scoliosis program. The system will help gather important information regarding scoliosis patients and their outcomes and can be used both clinically and for research purposes.

We hope that you are able to support us in our efforts by contributing to the tournament through a corporate sponsorship. Our tournament sells out quickly so please register today to join the fun! You will enjoy a wonderful day and leave with the satisfaction of knowing that you helped to make a difference in the life of a child. If you have any questions or need more information please contact Robin Vidito or Lynda King.

Sincerely,

Geno Auriemma and the entire "Fore the Kids" Committee