MEDIA CONTACT: Linda Holtz
561-297-0159, lholtz@fau.edu
BOCA RATON, FL (August 23, 2006) – The Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation (MFRF) recently presented Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing with a check to support the MFRF-Roberta Meyers Nursing Scholarship. Dr. Anne Boykin, dean of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing was on hand to accept the gift.
Since October 2003, MFRF has provided assistance to outstanding students in FAU’s College of Nursing. With each new gift to FAU, MFRF has advanced the level of nursing education in the state of Florida. The Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation-Roberta Meyers Nursing Scholarship is awarded to deserving FAU students who wish to pursue nursing career opportunities in the areas of pediatrics and genetics.
“We are grateful to The Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation for its commitment to making a difference in the lives of others,” said Boykin. “With this scholarship program, FAU nursing students are supported in their study of our privileged discipline.”
Representing MFRF at the presentation were Kevin and Lisajane Romer, the organization’s founders. The couple, who were recently named Palm Beach County Medical Society Heroes in Medicine finalists, established the foundation in honor of their son, Mathew, who ultimately lost his long battle against Tay-Sachs disease at the age of 8 in 2003. In addition, Carl Meyers, a founding member of the MFRF Board of Directors, was present also to honor his late wife, Roberta, who is memorialized with name of the scholarship.
A fatal pediatric illness that affects the central nervous system, Tay-Sachs disease is part of a family of more than 40 related genetic diseases. Mathew was one of the longest surviving Tay-Sachs patients. By funding public awareness campaigns and research initiatives that may one day result in the prevention and cure of Tay-Sachs and other children’s genetic diseases of the brain, MFRF has developed strong community partnerships. The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is one such partnership.
“Mathew required 24-hour nursing care for five years. While meeting his intensive at-home and in-hospital health care needs we saw, first hand, the nursing shortage problem,” said Kevin Romer. “We created this scholarship program to inspire nursing candidates to pursue studies and career opportunities in the field of pediatrics and genetics.”
Last year’s recipient of The Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation-Roberta Meyers Nursing Scholarship was Rhonda Lesniak. Currently Lesniak, who holds an undergraduate degree in nursing and a master’s degree in theology, is on a two-track course at FAU. She is working on earning her Ph.D. in nursing and hopes by Spring 2007 to have completed the family nurse practitioner program. As a MFRF Scholarship awardee, Lesniak, a former school nurse, got involved with the MFRF South Florida Genetic Testing and Education Fair by helping to promote free genetic testing to underserved populations.
For more information about this scholarship program, contact Elaine Rainwater, director of development for the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, at 561-297-1102 or e-mail erainwat@fau.edu.
- FAU -
Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses strategically located along 150 miles of Florida's southeastern coastline. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts nine colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, and the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering & Computer Science, and Architecture, Urban & Public Affairs.
The Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation, established in 1998, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization under section 501(c) (3) of the IRS code that supports education and research of children's genetics diseases of the brain, and is the South Florida affiliate of National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association, the oldest genetics organization in the country. The foundation, now celebrating its eighth anniversary, is committed to increasing access to quality genetic testing, facilitating research of genetic diseases and bringing diagnostic and treatment options to South Florida. For more information please visit the website at www.mfrfoundation.org.
