vision to establish the primary orthopaedic education and research resource for Texas.

In addition to providing sustainable orthopaedic education and research opportunities, the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation was formed by TOA leaders to raise the publics’ awareness of orthopaedic medicine in Texas. Several years ago, I was proud to serve as president of the Texas Orthopaedic Association. I am now honored to serve as the Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

We believe you share our appreciation for the many years of easily accessible, quality medical education and public relations programs that have been offered by the Texas Orthopaedic Association. The Texas Orthopaedic Foundation will now be dedicated to providing CME programming, including resident education, best paper awards and resident events such as the Resident Quiz Bowl. Our Foundation will also be the primary funding source for the Get Active! Texas public health campaign, promoting bone health and obesity prevention.

While TOA is nationally recognized for successfully tackling critical socioeconomic concerns and the regulatory issues facing orthopaedic practices in Texas today, the mission of the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation is to advance orthopaedic education and public awareness. The Foundation and TOA will work together to build a stronger orthopaedic community in Texas.

The Texas Orthopaedic Foundation has the same dedicated team of physician volunteers and industry leaders as TOA. Through the Foundation, our orthopaedic leaders will be free to develop high quality continuing medical education opportunities in accordance with ACCME guidelines. Dr. Marc DeHart, of Austin, serves as the Chair of the Continuing Medical Education Committee for the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation.

The ACCME guidelines will direct our choice of speakers and programming surrounding CME events. Under the Foundation, we hope to be the source of fine orthopaedic programming and will continue selecting physician faculty known in their fields. The Foundation strives to select speakers whose expertise will equip the orthopaedic community with superior CME course instruction to secure the best outcomes for our orthopaedic patients.

The Foundation also aims to impact the lives of Texans by increasing their knowledge of preventive orthopaedic care and by stressing the importance of maintaining a healthy musculoskeletal system. The Foundation’s public awareness programs will help bring awareness to orthopaedic treatment and conditions, creating a better understanding of how the citizens of Texas can improve their health through increased activity levels.

The Mission of the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation is to:

• Create public awareness of the importance of musculoskeletal health in the State of Texas.

• Encourage scientific, educational, and charitable endeavors which will promote and advance the science and art of orthopaedic surgery.

• Support research and education on diseases and injuries of bones, joints, nerves, and muscles.

• Enhance clinical care, leading to improved health, increased activity, and a better quality of life for patients in Texas.

This is how you can help.

To fund its programs, the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation will depend on contributions from the orthopaedic community, other caring individuals and our friends of orthopaedics in business. Your contributions will be dedicated to orthopaedic research and education in Texas.

By making a donation to the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation, you will become a member of the Board of Trustees. The Foundation’s website and meeting exhibit will list you as a donor Trustee, unless you wish to remain anonymous. Memorial or tribute gifts will list both donor and the person named for tribute.

While we encourage your donations and annual gifting at any point in the future, by giving $1,000 or more during 2008, you will become a member of the TOF Founders’ Circle. Please donate today and become a founding member of the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation.

There are many benefits to supporting the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation. By donating to the Foundation you will be able to:

• Support orthopaedic continuing medical education and research

• Support orthopaedic residents and their Texas training programs

• Give a gift that will remain in Texas

• Receive an income tax deduction; reduce capital gains tax or estate taxes

• Help the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation develop clinical treatment guidelines

• Facilitate public education of orthopaedic surgery and orthopaedic treatment.

If your gift is intended as a memorial or tribute, please indicate such on your contribution form. The Foundation’s first Memorial pledge was in honor of Albert Tisdale, MD. Many of you may remember Dr. Tisdale as the “TOA Photographer/Historian.” He faithfully attended and photographed the TOA annual meetings and the past presidents breakfasts. Dr. Tisdale was also a former president of TOA from Austin.

Our Fund Development Committee is chaired by Dr. Jay Mabrey, of Dallas, and he welcomes any ideas for Texas Orthopaedic Foundation endowments. Ideas that have been mentioned by the TOF leadership have ranged from tributes to specific Texas orthopaedic residency training programs…to endowments to help fund orthopaedic medical missions in which our Texas pediatric orthopedists participate. Feel free to contact Dr. Mabrey or myself if you wish to serve on the Fund Development Committee.

The TOF Executive Committee has asked Howard Epps, MD, of Houston, to Chair the Grant Committee. Dr. Maureen Finnegan (TOA past president), of Dallas, has also agreed to serve on the Foundation’s Grant Committee. The Grant Committee is presently charged with selecting CME resident paper awards and research. As other programs are developed and funded, the Foundation’s Grant Committee will also be responsible for reviewing and approving scientific research grant applications, grants for clinical treatment guideline production and endowment fund distribution. Please remember that all funds are designated for Texas distribution only.

The Foundation will send an announcement, as well as the enclosed brochure, to all of our friends of orthopaedics in business and academia regarding the formation of the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation. We are certain that they will also benefit from quality orthopaedic education and will have an interest in keeping the orthopaedic community strong.

We are happy to bring this positive message to you about how and why the Foundation was formed. And, again…we ask you to join the TOA in welcoming the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation. The Foundation needs your help to support this important mission to build a stronger orthopaedic community through research and education.

I encourage you, as an orthopaedic surgeon, to accept our invitation to donate to the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation and becoming a member of the Founders’ Circle by visiting the Texas Orthopaedic Foundation website's donation page or by calling 1-512-370-1500.

With best wishes,

Bill Schreiber, MD, Chair
Board of Trustees
Texas Orthopaedic Foundation
www.toafoundation.org

P.S. As you consider my request, please know that your donation is an investment in orthopaedic education and research in Texas.

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