Mattyfund.org

Epilepsy Pumpkin Festival-October 2007

The 3rd Annual Matthew Siravo
Memorial Lectureship

On October 31, 2007 we held the 3rd Annual Matthew Siravo Memorial Visiting Professor Lecture in Child Neurology. Dr. N. Paul Rosman was the guest speaker at the George Auditorium at Hasbro Children's Hospital. Dr. Rosman provided a wonderful presentation on epilepsy from the words of his patients to neurology students and physicians attending the lecture. A special thanks to Hasbro Children's Hospital's Dr. David Mandelbaum for arranging Dr. Rosman's visit to Providence.

The 2nd Annual Matthew Siravo
Memorial Lectureship

On September 27, 2006 we held the 2nd Annual Matthew Siravo Memorial Visiting Professor Lecture in Child Neurology. Drs. Arnold P. Gold and Sandra Gold were the guest speakers at the George Auditorium at Hasbro Children's Hospital. Richard & Debra Siravo provided opening speeches about young Matthew before the Golds took the podium for a presentation entitled "Shaping Tomorrow's Doctors: Balancing High Tech with High Touch". Dr. Arnold Gold's life experiences and dedication to humanism provided a definite impact amongst the neurology students and physicians attending the lecture. The Arnold P. Gold Foundation has assisted many young doctors entering the field of medicine through their white coat ceremony. A special thanks to Hasbro Children's Hospital's Dr. David Mandelbaum for arranging the Golds' visit to Providence.

The Inaugural Matthew Siravo
Memorial Lectureship

On November 9, 2005, we held the Inaugural Matthew Siravo Memorial Visiting Professor Lecture in Child Neurology. John Freeman, MD of Johns Hopkins University was the guest speaker before a capacity crowd at the George Auditorium at Hasbro Children's Hospital. Richard & Debra Siravo provided opening speeches about young Matthew, his life, his lessons and a parent's point of view before Dr. Freeman took the podium for his presentation of "Paternalism to Humility: A Thirty Year Journey" Dr. Freeman's life experiences and power point presentation provided a definite impact amongst the neurology students and physicians attending the lecture. A special thanks to Hasbro Children's Hospital's Dr. David Mandelbaum, Pediatric Neurologist, for arranging Dr. Freeman's visit to Providence.

Each summer the Matty Foundation proudly sponsors a group of children for Camp Wee-Kan-Tu, which is a weeklong, overnight summer camp for children diagnosed with epilepsy. The camp is hosted by the Epilepsy Foundation of Massachusetts & Rhode Island and is staffed 24 hours a day by neurologists, nurses and trained counselors. It is an empowering and fun experience for kids ages 8-17. The kids and teen leaders form new friendships and develop a sense of community.

"Camp Wee-Kan-Tu was an amazing experience from my daughter, Meghan. All of her gifts and talents were set to motion. The camp counselors arranged activities that emphasized what all the campers could do, not can't do. Best of all was when Meghan came home and said to me, "Mommy, I'm not the only one who takes pills everyday, everyone there did." We are all looking forward to next year. Thank you." Meghan's mom

Representative J. Patrick Shanley assisted Matty's Foundation in securing a Legislative Grant in 2004 for the Matthew R. Siravo Memorial Playground, a completely handicap accessible playground built in South Kingstown. In 2005, a Legislative Grant was awarded to Matty's Foundation to provide education to medical professionals at Brown University Medical School for a visiting professor in child neurology.

No portion of this site may be reproduced without
express written consent or permission from the
Matthew Siravo Memorial Foundation, Inc.