In the midst of springtime celebrations and June graduations, Las Madrinas announced the 32 families and their daughters who will be honored for their service to the Southern California community and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles at the Las Madrinas Ball on December 21. Among the debutantes from Pacific Palisades are Elizabeth Grace Porter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clark Willard Porter, and Katherine Ann Sebastian, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Bryson Sebastian. On May 14, the debutante families gathered at the Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles to hear a presentation by Dr. Michele Kipke, director of the Las Madrinas Endowment for Autism Research, Interventions and Outcomes. She gave an overview of the lives of children with autism spectrum disorders, and described how early diagnosis and intervention are critical and known to make a difference. Dr. Kipke’s group is developing and analyzing new tools and technologies for early diagnosis, testing and evaluating interventions and therapies, and tracking the outcomes of these interventions to ensure the best care for autistic children. Following the meeting, the families toured the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit in Childrens Hospital and Kipke’s diagnostic center. Further, the debutantes and their mothers and grandmothers were guests of honor at the tea where the president of Las Madrinas, Kathleen McRoskey, a Palisades resident, formally welcomed the families and thanked them for their contributions and commitment to the Los Angeles community. Las Madrinas has supported pediatric medicine for more than 75 years and is one of the first Affiliate Groups of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Donations made in honor of the young women by their families together with the annual support of Las Madrinas members and friends will contribute to the Las Madrinas Endowment for Autism Research, Interventions and Outcomes.
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