FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February
3, 2010
CONTACT:
Kelly
Pijl
(714) 834-5186
Kelly.Pijl@cfcoc.ocgov.com
Children & Families Commission of Orange County
Honors 10 People Making a Difference
in the Lives of Young Children
IRVINE, CA
–The Children & Families Commission of Orange County today announced it
will commemorate its 10th anniversary by paying tribute to 10
extraordinary OrangeCounty residents whose
compassion and dedication have profoundly changed children’s lives.
Beginning
in February and ending in November, the campaign will honor “10 People Making a
Difference in the Lives of Young Children,” naming a different Agent of Change
each month. The campaign will feature
advertisements thanking the honorees, a brief video highlighting each
individual’s work as well as an event honoring all 10 honorees later this year.
The
first honoree is Joseph H. Donnelly, director of the For OC Kids
Neurodevelopment Center in Orange.
“For
the past 10 years the Children & Families Commission of Orange County has
been able to help thousands of children and their families as a result of
amazing, caring, talented individuals,” said Michael Ruane, the Commission’s
executive director. “The Agents of
Change campaign is our way of publicly acknowledging their tireless efforts to
help young children start off on a path to lifelong good health, happiness and
success.”
First
Honoree: Dr. Joseph H. Donnelly
The
Commission has named Dr. Joseph H. Donnelly as Orange County’s
first Agent of Change. As a pediatric
neurologist and the director of the For OC Kids Neurodevelopmental Center in Orange, Dr. Donnelly
provides care to children from birth through age 5 and their families who face
developmental, behavioral or learning challenges. Dr. Donnelly said his proudest moments occur
when he watches children achieve health and developmental milestones that at
one point may have seemed out of reach.
As just one example, he said one such moment came when he was invited to
attend the high school graduation of a boy with intractable seizures and
tuberous sclerosis. “This young man was understandably
proud to receive his diploma, and to have played even a small part in helping
him reach that milestone was gratifying beyond words,” Dr. Donnelly said.
Dr.
Donnelly said he tries to guide his work and that of the center by recalling a
quote of Dr. Francis Peabody, who in 1925 told a classroom of medical students,
“… the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.” According to Dr. Donnelly, “The Children
& Families Commission of Orange County has enabled the CHOC/UCI
Neurodevelopmental Programs to exist and has made all the difference.”
10
honorees will be profiled in the “Agents of Change” campaign that will be featured
in OC Family Magazine and online at www.ocfamily.com/agentsofchange.
###
About Children &
Families Commission of OrangeCounty: The Children & Families Commission of
Orange County was founded in February 2000. Through the allocation of
Proposition 10 funds, the Commission supplies grants to ensure that all Orange County
children from birth to age 5 have every opportunity possible to “Grow Up
Great.” The grants help provide Orange County families access to prenatal care,
early literacy programs, health screenings, safety net resources, dental
clinics and other vital programs and services.
About For OC Kids
Neurodevelopmental Center: For
OC Kids is a collaborative project between Children’s Hospital of Orange County
and the University of California, Irvine Department of Pediatrics to help
children from birth through age 5 with developmental issues. The center is dedicated
to the earliest diagnosis and treatment of autism, ADHD and other developmental
disorders, to support, educate and advocate for children and their families and
to train professionals for the future. The
center uses a team approach to provide family centered care and help children
reach their potential. To learn more, go
to www.forockids.org.