MEDIA CONTACT: Linda Holtz

                                                            561-297-0159, lholtz@fau.edu

FAU Welcomes Health and Wellness Expert Andrew Weil

          BOCA RATON, FL (June 15, 2006) – Florida Atlantic University President and Mrs. Frank T. Brogan recently hosted honored guest Andrew Weil, M.D., at a VIP breakfast at the Eleanor R. Baldwin House.  The breakfast, sponsored by the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center of FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, brought close to 100 people to the event that was held prior to Weil’s public lecture on “Living Better Longer,” which he delivered to a crowd of approximately 1,000 people at the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium.

            “Dr. Weil’s presentation was a huge success.  People keep coming up to me to relate how they’ve changed their eating habits or begun to use his breathing techniques to relax since they heard his talk,” said Dr. Ruth Tappen, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing eminent scholar and director of the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center.  “We are happy we were able to bring such a renowned authority on health and wellness to our community and grateful to our sponsors for making this event possible.”

            Well-respected for his trailblazing efforts on behalf of integrative medicine, Weil has devoted the past 30 years of his professional life to research, teaching and the practice of mind-body and preventive medicine.  Holding medical and undergraduate degrees from Harvard University, Weil is a best-selling author with more than 5 million copies of his books in print.  His latest best seller is Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being.  Weil is a frequently featured guest on television news programs and has hosted a number of specials on public television.  This exposure has made him recognizable throughout the world. Weil is founder and director of the program in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also serves as a professor of medicine. 

            “HPBC was excited to partner with FAU for this event,” said Dr. Gail Cooney, Medical Director for Hospice of Palm Beach County.  “Dr. Weil’s approach to healthy aging by caring for ones’ physical, emotional and spiritual well-being parallels the integrated care we provide.  HPBC addresses the same components to patients nearing the end-of-life, focusing on improving quality of life.”     

            Weil’s lecture was presented by the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center, in partnership with Hospice of Palm Beach County.  By serving as the event’s “Gold Sponsor,” Boca Raton Community Hospital played an important role in bringing Weil to Boca Raton. The event’s “Silver Sponsors” included the Junior League of Boca Raton; the Leonard and Evelyn Lauder Foundation; Anita Hamilton Michaels & Sam Michaels; FAU alumnus John Scannell ’92; Pat Thomas; and Friends of the Memory and Wellness Center.  The “Bronze Sponsors” level were Century Home Health Services; Lifelong Learning Society at FAU; Rose M. Strocchio; Robert Finnigan, director, Investments/Wachovia Securities; The Atrium, A Royal Garden Community; Total Medical Health Services; AutoNation; The Palm Beach Post; and Origins.  Additional support came from the “Friends” category which included Amerigroup; Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach Beach/Treasure Coast Inc.; Anthony and Maria Tamburri; Florida Power and Light; United Way of Palm Beach County; Whole Foods Market; Jerry A. Wolff, vice president, investments/AG Edwards & Sons, Inc.; Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Florida Chapter; Alzheimer’s Community Care and BankAtlantic.

- FAU -