December 2021
TMAA President’s Message
I remember well the first time I participated in a “Hard Hats for Little Heads” event. Our Bexar County Medical Society Alliance board decided to lean in a little more intentionally to community health initiatives that year, and I had just been elected as the vice president who oversees those projects. We’d raised some funds to purchase helmets and had to decide where to distribute them.
It just so happens San Antonio has a semiannual city-wide event called Síclovía, in which the city closes a particular route to motor traffic and invites vendors and nonprofit organizations to set up booths that promote health and wellness. It’s a huge event and hundreds attend. Volunteers put in a lot of work to set up and participate. But I became hooked after the first time because of the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to our community. The swirl of the crowd and the long line of visitors to our booth exhilarated me.
One of the visitors to our booth was then-city Councilman Ron Nirenberg, who is now mayor of San Antonio. He came on his bike with his children and encouraged us in the work we were doing, both that day and in general.
The volunteers at Síclovía were alliance members – physicians, spouses, and medical students – as well as their teenage children. It was a multigenerational opportunity to serve others in our community, and it was fun to interact directly with the children receiving helmets.
Without the fundraising efforts of the TMA Foundation, and the generous grant money that we received for our event, I never would have had that opportunity. During this season of giving, I would like to encourage you all to donate to the TMA Foundation through the Alliance Sharing Card. Especially if foundation funding has helped you care for your community, please show your appreciation with a donation to the TMAF. Ultimately, we all benefit from our own donations, so we’re just closing the loop on giving and receiving. Please join me in celebrating the holidays through a small donation that makes an enormous impact.
Happiest of holiday celebrations to you and your loved ones!
My best,
Jennifer
Season of Giving
Please consider a gift of $25 or more to the TMA Alliance’s Holiday Sharing Card fundraiser. Now in its 27th year, this appeal supports the TMA Foundation and your favorite TMAA programs –Texas BookShare, Vaccines Defend What Matters, Walk With a Doc, and Hard Hats for Little Heads. Participate in this year’s fundraiser with a tax-deductible donation and help us reach our goal of $5,000.Donate now.
Get Your Gala Tickets Now
This year’s TMA Foundation gala will celebrate Houston in all its diversity as well as TMAF-funded programs that meet the health needs of an increasingly diverse Texas population. Don’t miss the 29th annual gala, “Crossroads of Culture,”slated for Friday, April 29, 2022, from 6:30 to 10:30 pm, during TMA’s annual TexMed meeting in Houston.
Individual tickets are $275 each and VIP tickets are $325 each. Tables start at $2,500.
For more information or to purchase tickets or a sponsorship, visit texmed.org/Gala, or contact TMAF at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1664, or (512) 370-1664.
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PBF Supports Physician Families in Need
One of TMA’ s best-kept secrets – The Physicians Benevolent Fund (PBF) -- is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. PBF provides funds to physicians during times of personal financial hardship or when they need treatment for impairing conditions.
Qualified PBF recipients receive monthly help to pay for personal necessities – rent or mortgage, utilities, health insurance, medical bills, clothing, and food. In 2020, PBF expanded its services to include the PBF Wellness Fund, which provides financial assistance for physicians who cannot afford treatment for conditions that may hinder their ability to practice medicine safely.
Over the years, PBF has helped hundreds of physicians and their families, including those who have become disabled or ill. Also, it helps those who are raising families, widowed, elderly, or no longer practicing medicine.
“PBF gives physicians and their families a hand up when they are down and out,” said TMA Alliance member Vickie Blumhagen of Austin, who serves on the PBF Committee. “These funds allow families and careers to be restored with dignity.”
TMA Alliance members can support PBF in two ways: refer friends or colleagues who may need assistance or contribute to the fund. TMA staff protect the anonymity of fund recipients.
[Contributions are tax-deductible and may come in the form of honoraria or memorials. You can make a secure, online donation or send a check. Make checks payable to the Physicians Benevolent Fund and mail them to: TMA Finance Department, 401 W. 15th St., Ste. 100, Austin, TX 78701.
If you know a physician or a physician's family who could benefit, please direct them to the PBF webpage. They also can contact Chris Johnson, PBF senior program manager, at Chris.Johnson@texmed.org or (800) 880-1300, ext. 1602.
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County Round Up
The Dallas County Medical Society Alliance & Foundation held a family-friendly Halloween party that exceeded everyone’s expectations. Of the nearly 200 people attending, 35 were from new medical families or the families of returning alliance members. The event took place at the Aldredge House, and its expansive backyard provided ample room for fun and games.
All the children and many adults sported Halloween costumes. The kids got to decorate trick-or-treat bags, trick or treat al fresco in the backyard, jump in a bounce house, play yard games, participate in a book walk, and decorate cookies. Children and adults enjoyed pizza for dinner. Alliance members also provided tours of Aldredge House to party guests. A great time was had by all!
The Nueces County Medical Society Alliance met in November for a charcuterie demonstration. Amanda Solis Meurer from Olive Bleu Charcuterie gave a creative demonstration and helpful hints for making the perfect meat and cheese board. The new membership directories passed out at this event were a hit once again. Members of the hostess committee – Mandy Alsop, Amanda Cutbirth, Robin Jifibahlool, and Tricia Slaughter Vela – put on a superb event.
The Bexar County Medical Society Alliance held a new member mixer in November. The comfortable gathering welcomed potential new members with coffee and pastries, and participants had a chance to win door prizes donated by local businesses. This fun event provided information about the alliance and garnered several new members, including resident spouses.
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Help Families Manage Screen Time – and Mental Health – With TMA’s “Turn It Off Today” Campaign
When a disturbing mental health trend emerged in the Lubbock emergency department where Eman Attaya, MD, works, it led to the creation of TMA’s newest educational program: Turn It Off Today.
Turn It Off Today calls attention to the direct correlation between excessive screen time and poor emotional and physical well-being. The program aims to reduce the amount of time people – especially children and adolescents – spend staring at their screens. It aims to replace that screen time with healthy activities like exercise, social interaction, reading, and “green time” outdoors. Read more about how the program started.
Check out the Turn It Off Today toolkit for the materials you need to launch this program in your community.
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