Palm Beach Brides 2020: Love Is Not Canceled Wellington National Golf Club

At Wellington National Golf Club, the professional staff enjoys helping clients achieve their vision for the event, and that includes creating unique menus, proposals and assisting with making arrangements on the client’s behalf, such as hiring entertainment and arranging for rentals. They make sure that all last-minute details, including the coordination of timelines, floor plans and staffing, are complete in order to execute the event exactly the same way that the client has envisioned it.

Wellington National has many great characteristics for all types of events, including weddings, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and more, and they are a large venue that in normal times can accommodate up to 400 guests. The ballroom has beautiful ceiling draping, as well as plank-style flooring, in addition to picturesque natural light, as it opens up onto a beautiful piazza, which is tropically landscaped and perfect for an outdoor ceremony.

While the pandemic has made some couples take a detour in tying the knot, love is most certainly not canceled. “Our team has complied with the national, state and local mandates, including reducing room capacities to allow for social distancing,” General Manager Ted Strelec said, adding that some people have chosen to postpone their wedding. “We had to cancel a bunch when we first went into the closure, but people seem to have taken it in stride. If they were dead set on having 150 people, they’re just waiting with the hope that everything is clear by 2021 and back to normal. The people calling us right now, they have already reduced their number of guests — there are no groups larger than 50. People have concerns. The new normal is to have tables of 10 or less. Here, we’ve also adopted a new thing. We ask the bride and groom to group families together at tables, so we have tightknit groups who know each other rather than seating strangers together.”

The team at Wellington National aims to be flexible with the couples who choose to plan an event with them to create a special day, unique to the bride and groom. They are happy to customize menus and cocktails and encourage them to outline their vision of that perfect day — then the Wellington National team makes that vision come to fruition.

Some changes due to the pandemic include no longer offering walk-up, self-serve buffet service. “That’s something new that we never had to worry about before,” Strelec said. “In lieu of buffets, we are creating manned action stations where our food and beverage team members serve the guests in a common area to eliminate contamination. This could become the new norm.”

Wellington National’s clubhouse and surrounding areas suit this pandemic era perfectly. “We have vast courtyard areas for open-air requests, and our grand ballroom is large enough to responsibly social-distance the tables while hosting an indoor wedding with space for a dance floor,” Strelec said. “It’s large enough to where we can put a party of 50 in there, set up the ceremony and have room for the DJ and the dance floor — all under one roof. We have a wall that divides the room, so we can close that wall for an intimate feeling during the ceremony and then, while the guests turn out to do cocktails, we open the wall and convert to an open space.”

Not only is Wellington National a beautiful venue that is unique and centrally located, but they are there to make things as easy and stress-free as possible, priding themselves on being flexible with almost every detail to ensure that each couple gets the day for which they have been waiting their whole lives.

This includes current adaptations such as Zoom or FaceTime broadcasts that allow family members who are not able to be present to see the event live.

“This is a good adaptation. It could be the new norm for smaller events,” Strelec said. “It’s great for elderly family members or people in different countries to attend via technology. I think it’s going to become commonplace from now on.”

Strelec hopes that two people who want to get married will find a way to have their special day regardless of what is going on in the world. “That is what we humans do best — adapt!” he said.

The Wellington National Golf Club is located at 400 Binks Forest Drive in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 333-5731 or visit www.wellingtonnationalgolfclub.com.

Palm Beach Brides 2020: Love Is Not Canceled  The Wanderers Club

At the Wanderers Club, Director of Catering Whitney Garcia works very closely with couples from their very first tour of the venue to the last dance of the night. In her second decade helping a bride’s dream turn into a reality, Garcia said this is her true passion. The Wanderers Club is a unique venue with so much to offer.

“We are able to customize each couple’s experience while maintaining flexibility in each stage of the planning,” Garcia said. “The unique thing about the Wanderers Club is the vast property with countless areas available to our brides on their special day.”

The focal point is the recently renovated ballroom with its new design, which is light and fresh with just the perfect blend of modern and elegant. It truly takes your breath away.

Although the traditional plated dinner is always a popular choice for wedding receptions, the Wanderers Club offers many options. “We offer some of the most fun and creative food ideas, and together we can customize the food experience like no other,” Garcia said. “The Wanderers Club is ideal for any event. We offer large and small packages for bar/bat mitzvahs to sweet sixteens to corporate events.”

Although the pandemic has brought major changes to the wedding industry, Garcia is there to help brides and grooms navigate this new terrain while still offering them a wonderful wedding experience. One of the biggest changes has been opening up more outside space for weddings.

“We have a beautiful, covered terrace that allows couples to host their wedding outside with less regulations than inside the ballroom,” Garcia said. “We also have a large pool deck to host the cocktail reception, rehearsal dinner, ceremony or any type of event. Our outside space is so elegant and welcoming in the evening and makes guests a little more at ease during these unique times. During the wedding, we have increased staff to help reduce some of the guest interaction. For example, more cocktail servers mean less guests mingling at the bar. We also have servers preparing plates at stations and buffets so only one person is touching the serving utensils. Of course, we are also following all of the county guidelines with limited guest counts, the requirement of masks and the practice of social distancing.”

Some weddings have lowered their guest count, which allows them more room in the budget for fun elements, such as welcome cocktails, late night snacks, coffee bars and more.

“We also have some couples deciding to change their reception menu from stations to plated dinners, which encourages less interaction and more social distancing,” Garcia explained. “We are also seeing new personalized elements being added, such as monogrammed masks and customized bottles of hand sanitizer.”

But the biggest change is the limit on capacity. “It has been very hard for couples to reduce their invite list to fit within the limited capacity regulations,” Garcia said. “We also have a lot of couples getting married on their original date but postponing the big celebration. No matter what the couple decides, we are doing our best to work with each one in creating the wedding of their dreams in a safe environment.”

Yet one thing that truly has stayed the same is the love. “The love and excitement that a wedding brings will always be the same,” Garcia said. “Couples are still happy to be joining their lives together with their closest family and friends. It may not look like they originally envisioned, with less people and more masks, but they are still in love and ready to begin their lives together. Not even a pandemic can change that!”

With creativity, weddings today can overcome any obstacles and continue to shine.

“My hope is that couples will continue to dream big when it comes to their special day,” Garcia said. “It is one of the most special days of their lives and, although it may look a little different, it will still be full of love. I hope lots of fun, new ideas will come out of this challenging time.”

The overall goal is always a beautiful, fun, memorable event that even the client can sit back and enjoy.

The Wanderers Club is located at 1900 Aero Club Drive in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 795-3501 or visit www.wc.coth.com.

Palm Beach Brides 2020: Always A Bride A 25th Anniversary Celebration 

The 25-year anniversary is represented by the color silver, the silver jubilee, and the wonderful iris. Silver is both traditional and modern. It is coveted for its radiance and brilliance, which is why silver makes the perfect material for commemorating this quarter century of shining love and dedication to one another.

The iris flower, as described by florists, embodies the spirit, love and aura of Paris, perhaps the most romantic of cities. It honors your time together as it stands tall and victorious in the sunlight, representing the strength and elegance of a relationship.

Wellington The Magazine caught up with the celebratory couple, Lenyce and Al Boyd, to reminisce on this special 25-year wedding anniversary photo shoot.

From newlyweds toasting with a pop of the champagne cork on their wedding day 25 years ago, to the busy parents, professionals and family they’ve become, the enduing commitment is always something to admire and celebrate. Here’s to an everlasting love story!

Where did you meet and how?
“We met back in 1991. I was out with my friend, and it was getting a little late,” Lenyce recalled. “Just before we were about to leave, I saw him from across the room — he was so handsome! He was talking to someone else, so I decided to take my friend’s advice and make eye contact — maybe a little much eye contact. Well, it worked. After talking for a few minutes, we quickly learned that we knew many of the same people and felt like we knew each other. He wanted to drive me home, but there was no way I was getting into a stranger’s car. Also, I was not ready to say goodbye. Being a true-crime junkie, I searched his entire car, gave his wallet to my friend, and she followed us all the way to my house, where he dropped me off at my door. We exchanged phone numbers, and the rest is history!”

Where did you get married?
“We had a tiny wedding in Key West, attended by approximately 12 family members and friends — the original micro wedding! We were married on the back porch of the beautiful Audubon House & Tropical Gardens in Key West,” Lenyce said. “We go back often and had hoped to celebrate our 25th back there, but with the virus, those plans have changed. We are OK with that and will just celebrate our next one a little extra.”

Describe your family today?
“We are officially brand-new empty nesters. It is a little strange, since we have had children living at home for so many years! We are blessed beyond words and got so lucky with three amazing kids, who have all grown into successful, happy adults,” Lenyce said. “We pray about that and thank God constantly for the continued blessings. We keep ourselves busy with our businesses, home and pets, which grew by two during the quarantine. We adopted a puppy from Big Dog Ranch Rescue and a mini pony from the South Florida ASPCA. Now, we have two horses, three dogs and four hens that give us eggs every single day.”

How do you continue to grow your love for one another?
“By taking a moment each day to look at each other and truly see who we have grown into,” Lenyce said. “We have to embrace those little moments and all of the beauty and blessings in our life. That’s the spark that keeps the fire burning.”

What is your favorite thing about each other?
“My favorite thing about Al is his kindness and open heart,” Lenyce said. “He wears his heart on his sleeve. The guy would give away his last dollar to someone in need and always thinks of others. He is an incredible father and role model to young adults. He is also pretty easy on the eyes.”

“The first thing that comes to mind is her eyes,” Al added. “I still remember so vividly the first time I saw Lenyce across the dance floor. Her soft eyes just drew me in as they do now every time. All of the love in my life, being a daddy to three beautiful children and being Papa Al to several others, all started with Lenyce. My life is beautiful and has purpose because of her. And yet she is a strong woman who has kept me strong in times when I needed it.”

Is this photo shoot a part of renewing your vows?
“No vow renewal, but we had a beautiful family celebration planned to take place in the Keys, but with the travel restrictions and mandates, we had to postpone that,” Lencye said.

If you had to give a young couple words of advice, what would that be?
“I heard this advice many years ago, and I never forgot it. It rang so true for me,” Lenyce said. “The advice I would pass along to a young couple would be for them to continue to grow as individuals, support your partner’s dreams and try to never fall out of love, all at the same time.”

“I would say that lifting up your partner to achieve their dreams shows that you believe in them, that you have faith in their abilities and that you support their independence because you are confident in your love,” Al added. “And secondly, ‘listen more, talk less,’ which I’m still learning. You’d be surprised what great ideas or unique perspectives your partner will contribute if you just stop talking and listen.”

Palm Beach Brides 2020: Special Thanks To All Of Our  Industry Professionals

VENUES
International Polo Club Palm Beach
www.internationalpoloclub.com
(561) 204-5687

Wellington National Golf Club
www.wellingtonnationalgolfclub.com
(561) 333-5731

The Wanderers Club
www.wc.coth.com
(561) 795-3501

WEDDING & EVENT PLANNING
Marjorie Beauvil Michaud
www.mbmeventsdesign.com
(561) 908-1258

Vanessa Fuller Events
www.vanessafullerevents.com

Fortuna Events
www.fortunaeventsmiami.com
(786) 479-3220

PHOTOGRAPHY
Rosina DiBello
Boutique Wedding Photography Studio
www.RosinaDiBello.com
(954) 254-8033

Sarah Larson
Blink & Co. Photography
www.blinkandcompanyphoto.com
(561) 703-6656

Kareem Virgo
Reem Photography
www.reemphotography.com
(561) 352-1584

Special Thanks To Bacio Bacio Bridal Boutique
Lenyce Boyd and all of the industry professionals who helped to make our annual Palm Beach Brides issue an amazing success!

Cheese And Charcuterie Boards Are At The Center Of Julie And Aaron Menitoff’s Latest Venture Say Cheese

Their smiles are charming, but it’s the unforgettable events Julie and Aaron Menitoff put together that really win people over. These days, their productions are downright cheesy.

The Wellington couple recently launched CheeseBoarder.com, shipping artistically presented, small-batch, artisanal cheeses and cured meats straight to customers’ doorsteps.

While the gourmet noshing is new, the creativity, quality and presentation behind it are inherent to every project the Menitoffs undertake. As the owners of Wellington Hospitality Group, the couple has catered gatherings for the likes of Prince Harry, Bruce Springsteen and Serena Williams. They have developed hospitality programs for the most prestigious equestrian events in the world, built an eco-resort in Nicaragua and catered private parties for Palm Beach’s elite.

Then came 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly, social events were wiped from every calendar. Travel was grounded. Catering was put on the back burner, leaving Julie, Aaron and their team looking for innovative ways to support their hospitality company.

After 16 years in the business, the Menitoffs knew cheese and charcuterie displays were the most requested catering items and often used as centerpieces at cocktail receptions. One of their last, large-scale events before the pandemic was an engagement party for equestrians Jennifer Gates and Nayel Nassar. They created a magnificent, 40-foot grazing table.

“They produced an incredible cheese and charcuterie display for our engagement party. It was artistic and delicious, and our guests loved it,” said Jennifer Gates, president of Evergate Stables.

The Menitoffs decided to carve out their slice of the online, edible gift market. They partnered with their logistics manager, Angel Jerez, a sommelier. The team began with local deliveries of cheese and charcuterie. Jerez’s expertise allowed them to offer wine pairings as an option.

Now, with their newly constructed, FDA-approved facility complete, CheeseBoarder.com can ship their gourmet, handcrafted displays anywhere nationwide within 48 hours. They are getting attention from some big players in the specialty food arena. In October, CheeseBoarder.com will be distributed on Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer’s foodie shipping site, Goldbelly.com.

“No one else offers ready-to-eat cheese and charcuterie boards. You can order boxes with blocks of meat and cheese, which you then have to cut and plate,” said Aaron Menitoff, managing partner of CheeseBoarder.com. “Each of our boards come fully assembled and ready to serve with no preparation needed, just open and enjoy. Your guests will think you hired a caterer!”

The boards come in three sizes, serving three to 12 guests, and are cold-packaged for shipping using a vacuum-sealed technique the team developed and patented. Each selection is accompanied by high-end specialty items ranging from dried passion fruit and Turkish figs to everything bagel-flavored cashews and Italian olives.

The social distancing rules of 2020 provided substantial growth for CheeseBoarder.com. As people connected through virtual events and meetings, CheeseBoarder.com presented a way for Zoom attendees to eat and drink together while staying separate. Nonprofits eager to maintain fundraising have offered the boards during their virtual events, adding sponsor information and materials to the shipments, and even coordinating wine deliveries.

Without in-person charitable events, the Menitoffs feel that it is vital for CheeseBoarder.com to contribute to the community. Customers can choose to include a card created by clients at The Arc of Palm Beach County. Proceeds from the cards benefit people with developmental disabilities. As CheeseBoarder.com grows, the couple hopes to employ clients from The Arc through the organization’s employment services program.

“Everything about this project aligns with our lifestyle and our values. The products promote the farm-to-table movement, the containers are eco-friendly, we are supporting a charity that we believe in, and the presentations are artistic,” said Julie Menitoff, CheeseBoarder.com’s general manager.

CheeseBoarder.com just entered the wholesale market. The smaller sizes can be ordered in bulk for businesses to resell to customers or to be sent as corporate gifts. Local companies are finding that these specialty boards are the cheesiest way to connect with clients.

Visit www.cheeseboarder.com for more information about this new, Wellington-based venture.

Today’s Real Estate Market Is Booming,  Particularly For Tech-Savvy Realtors & Clients  Market Trends

Local real estate properties are selling like hotcakes amid the current pandemic, especially for tech-savvy Realtors and their clients who know the ins and outs of the sales tools available to help in socially distant home shopping.

Shelley Sandler and Mary Miller, two of Wellington’s leading Realtors associated with Illustrated Properties, agreed that the region is hot, real estate wise.

“There is a huge inventory shortage in the Wellington area, and the reason I believe this is happening is because of the quarantine,” Sandler said. “There are many people who now realize that they can work at home, and that home can be just about anywhere. They no longer have to wait to retire to find the home and the place where they want to live. They realize they can have the home and the lifestyle they always wanted right now, and they are shying away from the big cities because of the fear of COVID-19 and the mass of people. Palm Beach County may have everything you want but without the congestion of Miami or Chicago.”

Miller stressed that the virus pandemic has given people a new perspective.

“I think you’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head. People can move wherever they want because they’re working pretty much from home. The other people, who are essential workers, have had the time that they spent at home these past few months to give them a new perspective on their lifestyle,” she explained. “They may think, ‘Gee, this really isn’t my dream kitchen’ or ‘this isn’t the perfect home for us,’ and people nowadays have been staying in their homes longer, so they have a lot more equity to get the most out of their home, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Both Realtors believe that this strong market will continue.

“Some people think we are in a bubble,” Sandler said. “I don’t feel that way at all.”

“I don’t either,” Miller added. “The prices may drop a little bit, but I don’t see a crash, because in the last crash, properties were over-financed and there were a lot of bad loans. Now there are very strict rules to prevent any big crash because the loans are managed well. A correction will just be a dip, and the tight inventory with the pent-up demand will dissipate that drop. Any dip we experience in the future, and we come back to the biggest problem we’re all facing, and that is we need more inventory.”

The pandemic has changed how real estate is marketed, and Illustrated Properties is at the forefront of the new trends in advertising, showing and closing.

Some sellers need more time, some have an empty home and are motivated. “You structure your offer appropriately for each area and property,” Sandler said. “We learned to become much more flexible, and we base our business on individual needs. It is more important than ever to have a Realtor that offers specifically individualized service with the staff to support that level of service.”

Sandler and Miller are not a team, but individualized professionals whose service complements each other. “We have each other’s back,” they said almost in tandem.

The agents use 3D photos for cameras in the rooms, allowing viewers to look up and down and all around, and feel like they’re standing in the room and view a potential new home from their current home at their leisure. “We give them walkthroughs using Facetime,” Sandler said.

“We prequalify the prospective buyer so only the most interested and qualified come to an owner-occupied home,” said Miller, who explained that then they follow CDC protocols with social distancing, masks and gloves, and the visitors are alerted not to touch anything. “We don’t want to risk someone’s health to show the property.”

Yet Miller explained that even something as bad as COVID-19 can bring about good things.

“Virtually viewing a property means you can really see the home and get to know if it meets your needs and dreams,” Miller said. “It has opened us up to a lot more virtual showings and made us more versatile.”

It has also made some Realtors stretch their comfort zones to adapt to all the new technology.

“Some of the techno-dinosaurs in the industry have been forced into the use of e-signature and online viewing. Some software is cumbersome, but we use something called AppFiles at Illustrated Properties, and it’s amazing and user-friendly,” Sandler said.

Knowing your clients’ needs is also crucial, Miller added.

“I spend a crazy amount of time making sure that the potential buyer is qualified and certain it is the kind of house they want. There’s enough material online that you can see the property, but you have to be really serious before you walk through the home, especially in an owner-occupied dwelling,” Miller said.

These marketing and advertising innovations are here to stay in all communities and are heating up this bubbling market.

“The benefits of living in Wellington are so numerous,” said Sandler, who has lived in the community since 1986. “People from up north always remark that Wellington is a real town, a real hometown, and not just more urban sprawl.”

Sandler explained that Wellington has a main street and a town center, excellent schools and parks, and some very specialized neighborhoods with the equestrian facets and the Aero Club, gated enclaves with HOAs, and areas with no gates or HOAs.

“There is a nice combination of everything from huge luxury estate homes to townhouses,” Sandler said.

“Wellington has zoning and guidelines that keep it nice,” Miller added.

“I always thought that once my children were grown, I would move to another area, but every time I go outside of Wellington and look around, I come back here to the village,” Sandler said. “I don’t know of another area that feels like Wellington.”

Learn more about Shelley Sandler at www.shelleysandlerproperties.com and Mary Miller at www.marymiller.net.

Survivor Jessica Duemig Warns That Breast Cancer Is A Concern For Women Of All Ages  Early Detection

Jessica Duemig was 32 years old when she discovered a lump that turned out to be breast cancer — eight years before she was due for her first mammogram. Since then, she has written a book about her experience and become an advocate for early detection of this dreaded disease.

Early one morning, Duemig was getting ready for work as an account services representative for an international advertising agency. Career-driven, she worked as a sports marketing expert rising the ranks in a high-pressure industry, when she noticed a sharp pain on her left side, right where the ribcage starts to curve.

“I thought it was a pimple that didn’t have a head on it, and I didn’t think any more about it, explained Duemig, a Wellington High School graduate.

The pimple-like spot went away, but it returned with a vengeance two months later. “One morning, it was back. It hurt, and it was four times the size it had been… The size of a big gumball,” recalled Duemig, who didn’t yet know that her career, in fact, her whole life, had suddenly hit a pink wall.

The bad news: stage two triple negative metaplastic breast cancer — and Duemig said that she can’t stress this enough, it was eight years before she thought she even had to begin worrying about breast cancer.

“They usually start mammograms on women when they are 40,” said Duemig, who found the lump during a time period when she was being recruited for a new, even greater job on the client side of the business. “The doctor told me I’d have to put my life on hold. I said, ‘This isn’t going to work for me.’ My treatment plan followed my own rules. I started my new job the first day after my third chemo treatment. From diagnosis to done, it was seven months. I was single, no kids, materialistic, self-driven, and completely out of the blue, I was going to have a double mastectomy and chemotherapy.”

So, Duemig wrote her book, Warrior: Challenge Accepted.

“Warrior is the book I wished I had the day I got the diagnosis. It would have made a great gift,” she said. “Who was I going to talk to who understood me and my point in life?”

Breast cancer books on the market are not usually geared toward career-focused women.

“There seem to be two types of cancer books,” said Duemig, describing the technical, medically oriented books written by healthcare professionals and, “The fluffy, girlie, kid-glove, softer approach.”

Her book is different.

“Warrior is the story of the battle I went through,” Duemig said. “The cover matches the content. It’s raw and uncensored. It is for survivors and their supporters.”

She explained that the book is for women who have or want to have the “I got this” attitude.

“I went to the doctor the week between Christmas and New Year’s,” Duemig said. “I wanted to get in before my insurance reset at the beginning of the year.”

The doctor confirmed that there was a lump and immediately scheduled her for a mammogram and an ultrasound.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘But mammograms are so uncomfortable,” Duemig said. “I will tell you what’s uncomfortable — surgery, chemo, cancer. That’s really uncomfortable.”

The biopsy was also very unpleasant. “It was the most painful thing that I’ve ever done,” she said.

The lump was growing fast and getting more solid, and if she had waited, it might have been too late.

Duemig was officially diagnosed Feb. 1, 2017. Immediately, she was scheduled for her operation, fertility preservation and four months of chemotherapy. “On Feb. 28, 2020, I was officially cured,” Duemig said. “Now, I am that voice in support groups I wish I had when it happened to me.”

At first, she didn’t think she needed a support group. “They asked me probably at least 15 times if I wanted to join a support group, and I’m very fortunate to have a tight-knit family and a huge group of friends, but none of them have ever been around cancer, and certainly not in someone so young,” Duemig said. “I didn’t know at first that I needed a support group. But just having someone you can call who will sit there on the other end of the phone and listen to you helps. There’s nothing they can say to make it better. There’s no advice that’s going to make it OK. And I asked a lot of questions of the doctors directly.”

In her book, Duemig talks about the chemotherapy and the trepidation that patients have.

“Their mindset can help them with their reaction,” she said. “Chemo is very real, and attitude is everything. You have to go into cancer treatment knowing you’re going to beat it, or at least having convinced yourself that you are, because the minute you start to doubt yourself, the minute you think it’s a death sentence, it very well could be.”

The way the disease affects people is different.

“I was a warrior,” she said. “I gained weight during chemotherapy. That’s unusual, but it shows that attitude is everything. Warrior definitely takes the fear of the unknown off the table. It puts into words what the patient can’t in the heat of the moment when they are literally fighting for their lives.”

In the book, Duemig shares her story, but does not suggest it fits everyone’s situation.

“The book is my experience,” she said. “It is not a recipe book. It is the practical preparation I took and should have taken if someone had told me. It is a guidebook of what to expect, to empower people.”

Warrior: Challenge Accepted by Jessica Duemig is available in hardcover, paperback and audio form on Amazon. Visit www.warriorguidebook.com or www.facebook.com/warriorguidebook to learn more.

Mammograms Should Remain A  Priority Even In Uncertain Times  Breast Health

The pandemic has thrown things into disarray, causing most people to change habits and delay plans. But one activity women should not postpone is getting a mammogram. Cancer won’t wait until the pandemic ends.

“We advocate annual screenings because patients have better outcomes if we catch cancer early. That hasn’t changed,” said radiologist Dr. Kathy Schilling, medical director of the Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. “There are more treatment options in the early stages — less aggressive therapies if we find things when they are small and detected early.”

At the center of the region’s COVID-19 response, Boca Regional has played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of the community — caring for the sick, working at the forefront of local efforts to investigate treatments and speaking out about the importance of protective measures. At the same time, keeping in mind the wider healthcare picture, the hospital has upheld the highest-quality care in emergency medicine, women’s health and more.

Breast cancer screenings were among the elective procedures that were put on hold in March under state and federal guidelines, creating a backlog for thousands of women. However, those restrictions have been lifted for several months now. If you haven’t had a mammogram since last year, it’s time to make that appointment.

“Some women may be tempted to say, ‘I’m going to skip this year, and I’ll just go back next year when things are a little bit better.’ We don’t want that to happen,” Schilling said. “We don’t want a delay of a few months to turn into a year. We will see bigger, palpable breast cancers if patients don’t come in for their screenings.”

Statistics show that one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Despite advances, it is the second-leading cause of cancer death among women. Experts estimate that in 2020, there will be 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in the U.S. and more than 42,170 breast cancer deaths.

While mammograms don’t prevent breast cancer, they can save lives by detecting it before a lump can be felt. When found in the early stages while breast cancer is still localized, the five-year survival rate is 99 percent.

Although concerns about COVID-19 might be at the forefront right now, that should not derail regular health screenings or medical care. Even if mammograms have never detected problems in the past, patients can’t assume they’re in the clear for the future. Cancers grow at different rates, and a “normal” mammogram one year is no guarantee that things won’t change the next time.

“Annual screenings are really important. They have helped us cut the mortality of breast cancer over the years by 40 percent,” Schilling said. “We have to maintain the screening protocols or we will lose the gains from the past. Without timely screening, we’re going to see a lot more patients presenting with larger cancers that require more aggressive therapies and more radical surgeries.”

The institute’s Schmidt Family Center for Breast Care uses the most advanced, state-of-the-art imaging equipment to get 3-D breast scans. The innovative Senographe Pristina produces faster and more detailed pictures than traditional X-ray images. The equipment was designed for patient comfort, with gentle, rounded corners and contoured armrests instead of handgrips to enhance relaxation. In addition, control can literally be in the hands of the patient with the Dueta remote device, which allows patient-initiated compression for a more comfortable mammogram.

New this year, revolutionary “artificial intelligence” software is assisting radiologists in detecting abnormalities with unrivaled accuracy, resulting in 8 percent higher cancer detection rates and 7 percent fewer false-positive exams.

“We opened with the simple mission of saving lives through early cancer detection,” said Schilling, noting that the Schmidt Center is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. “Thanks to innovative technologies and treatments, clinical research and partnerships with skilled professionals, we are doing just that.”

In 2019, for example, the percentage of breast cancer cases the Lynn Women’s Institute caught in the early stages was 72 percent. The national percentage was 49 percent.

Patients can return to the Schmidt Center’s three locations with confidence, knowing that safeguards are in place to prevent exposure to the virus. In addition to contactless registration, enhanced cleaning and social distancing in the lobby, the center is taking safety steps such as doubling the time between appointments and having patients undress alone in the exam room rather than in a common changing room. Everyone, including all staff, must wear a mask.

“Patients shouldn’t be fearful,” Schilling said. “They can trust that we are doing everything we possibly can to protect them.”

Don’t allow finances to deter you, either. If you have no health insurance due to pandemic-related layoffs or for any other reason, you may qualify for assistance to get a mammogram. The institute has generous donors and outstanding community support from organizations such as PinkBall, a group of local “baseball moms” who raise money to help cover breast care for underinsured or uninsured women. For more information about financial assistance, call (561) 955-4294.

“We are here to provide women unparalleled care for every stage of life,” Schilling said. “We address a woman’s unique medical needs with unrelenting attention to clinical excellence, patient satisfaction and patient safety.”

Learn more about Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute at www.brrh.com/services/lynn-womens-institute. To request an appointment at a Baptist Health diagnostic imaging location, call (786) 573-6000 or visit www.baptisthealth.net/breasthealth For other questions, call the patient care coordinator at (561) 955-7130.

Wellington Regional Medical Center Opens Wellington Center Of Internal Medicine Supporting Patients

Once patients are discharged from the hospital, being quickly readmitted is not high on their list of upcoming goals. Providing appropriate care while in the hospital and follow-up care after discharge can help to reduce the need for readmission. In fact, that follow-up care can be critical in making sure that the progress patients make in the hospital continues after discharge.

With the changing model of dedicated hospitalist-based care, the hospitalist physician has become standard practice in medicine. For patients who do not have a primary doctor, or at the request of a community physician, an internal medicine physician assigned to the hospital provides care for patients while they are hospitalized.

The hospitalist follows the patient throughout the stay, and when the patient is well enough to be discharged, patients are referred back to their primary care physician. But what about patients who do not have a primary provider? To help address this gap and to provide the continuum of care from the hospital bedside and beyond, Wellington Regional Medical Center has opened the Wellington Center of Internal Medicine located on the hospital’s main campus.

The new clinic provides patients discharged from WRMC the opportunity to have the important follow-up care with physicians who were part of their care team while in the hospital.

As a teaching hospital, the physicians at the Wellington Center of Internal Medicine have access to the latest medical education, clinical research and up-to-date clinical practices. All that expertise is now available in an outpatient setting through the new clinic.

“The Wellington Center for Internal Medicine is committed to providing exceptional adult primary care,” said Dr. Alejandro Biglione, associate program director of the Wellington Center for Internal Medicine. “Our goal is to ensure that our patients feel comfortable with their health knowing that they have a medical provider for life.”

The Wellington Center of Internal Medicine is a full-service outpatient internal medicine practice with five exam rooms, an onsite lab and a procedural room.

The clinic is located 10111 W. Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 231, in the building located directly east of the hospital’s main entrance. It specializes in the treatment of patients age 18 and over. Some of the services available at the clinic include wellness checkups, sick visits, post-hospital follow-up care, diabetes maintenance, management of chronic conditions, immunizations, sports physicals and chronic medical condition management.

“Your health is important to us. That is why our physicians follow the latest guidelines and treatments when caring for our patients,” Biglione said. “Whether it is for a routine physical or a serious illness that requires a hospital stay, the team at the Wellington Center of Internal Medicine is committed to providing quality adult primary care.”

The center can accommodate walk-ins and same-day visits for urgent patient care needs. To schedule an appointment, call (561) 472-2590. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and accepts most health insurances.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society To Host 2020 Light The Night Event Nov. 12 Going Virtual

In a world of uncertainty, one thing is for sure — cancer doesn’t stop during a global crisis. Individuals and communities nationwide are tapping into their inner creativity and survival skills to pivot to, at least for now, a virtual way of living. This year, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) will host its signature community fundraising campaign, Light The Night, as a virtual event.

Given the ongoing health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, LLS determined that a virtual Light The Night is the most responsible approach. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be the most inspiring and impacting Light The Night ever, because just as blood cancer sees no boundaries, this year’s Light The Night can be everywhere and anywhere. LLS’s Palm Beach-Treasure Coast chapter will host its 2020 Light The Night virtual event on Thursday, Nov. 12.

“Blood cancer patients need us now more than ever. We will gather virtually to bring light to the darkness of cancer, creating memorable moments across the country, through an exciting, interactive virtual experience for LLS staff, volunteers, patients and all supporters,” said DeAnn Hazey, LLS executive director of the South Florida Region. “As we’ve done throughout our 71-year history, LLS will ‘virtually’ reinvent the peer-to-peer fundraising category through our unparalleled ingenuity, resourcefulness, innovation and relentless drive to deliver our mission.”

Light The Night is a fundraising event benefiting LLS and its funding of lifesaving research to find blood cancer cures. Coming together for a common goal, friends, family and co-workers form fundraising walk teams. Culminating in inspiration and memorable evening walks every fall, participants in communities across North America join together carrying illuminated lanterns to take steps to end cancer — white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer.

LLS’s signature fundraisers like Light The Night have helped LLS invest nearly $1.3 billion in cutting-edge research worldwide, fueling nearly every critical advancement in blood cancer treatment that spans the most promising treatment approaches now being tested in clinical trials for other cancers and diseases.

“Light The Night’s virtual platform will be an interactive and engaging experience allowing LLS supporters and volunteers to enjoy the same iconic elements of Light The Night — illuminated lanterns, Circle of Survivors and the Remembrance Pavilion — in a different format but with the same passion to bring an end to blood cancers once and for all,” Hazey said. “Join us as, together, LLS will be the voice that speaks up, the hand that reaches out and the light that cures cancer.”

Last year, there were almost 200 teams registered for the Palm Beach and Boca Raton walks combined. The virtual event is expected to grow that number, as the walk is more accessible to not only fundraisers and sponsors, but patients and survivors, who would not otherwise be able to attend this year’s event.

Teams participate in the event from all over the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast region, coming from Boca Raton to Wellington up to Vero Beach. The interactive web site features a virtual Circle of Survivors, Remembrance Pavilion, Opening Ceremony, Kids Zone and more.

To form a team or to learn more about how you can become involved in this year’s virtual Light The Night campaign, visit www.lightthenight.org/sofl.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a global leader in the fight against cancer. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

The LLS Children’s Initiative is a $100 million multi-year effort to take on children’s cancer through every facet of LLS’s mission: research, patient education and support, and policy and advocacy. The LLS Children’s Initiative includes more pediatric research grants, a global precision medicine clinical trial, expanded free education and support services for children and families, and driving policies and laws that break down barriers to care. To learn more, visit www.lls.org/childrens-initiative.

Founded in 1949 in New York, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.lls.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.