For S.R., the highlight of the convention was swimming, the one sport she always excelled at.  She used to practice this sport twice a week until her leg was amputated.  But once getting into the pool, it felt like she never left. Attending the conference gave her a newfound confidence and she will be looking for a new pool to resume her regular aquatic activities.

“It is because of your generosity that I was able to attend the amputee convention and see and participate in activities I thought I’d never be able to enjoy again.  It is because of your persistence in maintaining a relationship with Magee that my spirits and confidence in myself have soared to another level.  I THANK YOU!!!!!!”

Visitors to the Anapol Schwartz Foundation website had 5 Candidates to choose from.  Each candidate a dedicated individual committed to helping those living with spinal cord injuries to lead more productive and enjoyable lives. Each candidate named a charity that benefited individuals living with spinal cord injuries, which, if that candidate won, would receive a grant of $5,000 from Anapol Schwartz comprised of proceeds received from successful cases involving spinal cord injuries.

Over 3,000 people took part in this voting process.

AJ was paralyzed 10 years ago in a Martial Arts accident but is now a gold medal winning U.S. National Wheelchair Rugby Team player, and a National Leader, advising the Department of Defense on how to promote Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors, as well as Community leader, assisting Philadelphia Spinal Cord Injury Victims through various local organizations.

Nanayakkara developed adapted recreation programs across the country and will spend his summer traveling with the Global Abilities Foundation, founded by AJ and his wife, in hopes to  help people with disabilities in developing areas reintegrate into their communities.

In addition to a Plaque, Anapol Schwartz Partner, Joel Feldman, presented a check in the amount of $5,000 to the Legal Clinic for the Disabled on AJ’s behalf.   The Legal Clinic for the Disabled is housed at Magee Rehabilitation and provides free Legal help and advice to low-income disabled individuals.

Feldman was so moved by the accomplishments of all of this year’s advocates that the Anapol Schwartz Foundation decided to award the remaining nominees by donating $1,000 to each of their named charities: The American Spinal Injury Association(MJ Mulcahey), The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (Dr. Dan Gottlieb), MossRehab (Harry W. Schwartz, MD), and the Adam Taliaferro Foundation (Adam Taliaferro).

When a martial arts injury left him paralyzed at the age of 20, Nanayakkara fought his way back. Ten years later, Nanayakkara is a wheelchair athlete, mentor and community leader. A gold medal winner as a member of the U.S. National Wheelchair Rugby Team at the 2005 World Wheelchair and Amputee Games in Rio de Janeiro, Nanayakkara developed adapted recreation programs across the country and continues to advise the Department of Defense on how to promote Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors. He and his wife founded the Global Abilities Foundation to help people with disabilities in developing areas reintegrate into their communities.

More than 3,000 people voted online to select the winner of the Spinal Cord Injury Advocate Award; a record number for ASF.

Anapol Schwartz Managing Partner Joel Feldman is proud to recognize AJ for his accomplishments. “It is a privilege to announce that AJ Nanayakkara is the 2011 Anapol Advocate Award winner. AJ’s accomplishments since his injury have improved the lives of so many people with disabilities across the world. He is a shining example of what can be accomplished by one person — using an obstacle as a catalyst for positive change. With the selection of his charity, AJ continues to help those suffering from disabilities obtain the chance to lead better and more productive lives.”

Overwhelmed with the accomplishments of all the nominees and their supporters, ASF decided to make additional contributions of $1000 each to the selected charities of the remaining four nominees. Those charities and their respective sponsors are: The Adam Taliaferro Foundation (Adam Taliaferro); The Christopher Reeve Foundation (Dr. Daniel Gottlieb); MossRehab (Harry W. Schwartz, MD); American Spinal Injury Association (MJ Mulcahey).

The 2011 Anapol Advocate Award will be presented to Nanayakkara at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled’s office at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia this month.

For more information about the award, or to arrange to speak with Nanayakkara or Feldman, please contact Curt Heintzelman at 215-429-8950 or Jen Wasilisin at 609-682-4153 or via e-mail at cheintzelman@stargroup1.com or jwasilisin@startoplin.com.

Established in 2008 as a Donor Advised Fund, the ASF assists nonprofits that serve victims and their families and funds research and programs aimed at advancing health and safety. The firm will continue to dedicate additional funds as its wins cases on behalf of consumers and their families. Visit the site for more information on the Anapol Schwartz Foundation.

Founded in 1977, Anapol Schwartz, P.C., is a civil justice law firm with more than 25 attorneys and law offices in Philadelphia, Media, Reading and Harrisburg, Pa., as well as Cherry Hill, N.J., Wheeling, W.Va., and Scottsdale, AZ. The firm has represented individuals in matters ranging from dangerous prescription drugs and medical products and medical negligence, burn injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other personal injury matters.

View the entire the April 2011 version of Magee magazine.

The Anapol Schwartz Foundation was established by law firm Anapol Schwartz, P.C., as a way for the firm to designate a portion of its profits to assist individuals affected by disabling injuries to lead better, more productive lives.

This year, Anapol Schwartz will honor an inspiring person who has enhanced the lives of individuals afflicted by spinal cord injuries. A $5,000 grant, derived from proceeds of successful cases involving spinal cord injuries, will be given to the winner’s choice of a qualified 501(c)(3) public charity serving the spinal cord injury community.

Candidacy is limited to those residing in the greater Philadelphia region. Both self-nominated and third party nominations are welcome. All nominations must be entered online at http://anapolschwartzfoundation.org/2nd-annual/ by April 25, 2011. Finalists will be determined by The Anapol Schwartz Foundation Award Selection Committee. Open Voting to determine the winner will run online from May 3, 2011 to May 18, 2011. The winner will be announced the fourth week of May.

The Anapol Schwartz Foundation assists 501(c)(3) public charities that serve victims and their families and funds research and programs aimed at advancing health and safety. The Anapol Schwartz law firm dedicates funds to the foundation as its wins cases on behalf of consumers and their families. For more information on The Anapol Schwartz Foundation, visit http://www.AnapolSchwartz.com/AnapolSchwartzFoundation.

Founded in 1977, Anapol Schwartz, P.C., is a civil justice law firm with more than 25 attorneys and law offices in Philadelphia, Media, Reading and Harrisburg, Pa., as well as Cherry Hill, N.J., Wheeling, W.Va., and Scottsdale, AZ. The firm has represented consumers in matters ranging from dangerous prescription drugs and medical negligence to unsafe products and hazardous work site cases.

Anapol Schwartz
Jackie Lecher, 215-735-1130
Jlecher@anapolschwartz.com

The Seminar was designed to share experiences of receiving the notification of a death of a loved one and to use those experiences to generate a guide for law enforcement officers, clergy, funeral directors and other service providers on how to compassionately deliver the notification of the death of a loved one. Mr.Feldman  shared his experience as an attorney who has represented many families who have suffered the death of a loved one and from his personal perspective following the death of his 21 year old daughter in a motor vehicle accident.

This seminar was previous presented June 2010  FREE of charge by MADD SE PA through a grant through the Anapol Schwartz Foundation. If you would like to register for future seminars in SE Pennsylvania on “Delivering the News with Compassion for the Bereaved and Concern for the Messenger” call (610) 825-4903.

Reaching out to those who have suffered a loss, including a burn injury, may be difficult, but it can be so helpful to survivors and their families. There is also an incredible benefit for those who do reach out. Hearing how others, facing incredible challenges, meet those challenges quickly puts our own lives in perspective. We learn what is important, are grateful for what we have and can be inspired to do better in our own lives.

Read the full article in the BURN FOUNDATION NEWS FALL 2010

To date we have contributed more than $ 200,000 to various charities in the region. From a case involving horrific burn injuries to a little boy we helped create a mentorship program with the Burn Foundation that pairs burn victims with burn survivors and purchased a pediatric crib for Crozer Chester Hospital’s burn unit. From cases involving death to young people from service of alcohol to those intoxicated we have worked with MADD and sponsored Death Notification classes in the Philadelphia suburbs and in Philadelphia to provide training for those who are called upon to tell families that a loved one has died.

One of our clients, Caren Sydnor, after receiving the settlement funds from a malpractice case, took a portion of those funds and  established a fund at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital that helps spinal cord inured patients receive critical physical therapy  after insurance funds run out. We have made contributions to Caren’s fund to help her help others. From  a case involving the amputation of a child’s arm we have established an amputee fund at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital that helps provide services to amputees that are not covered by insurance but vital to the recovery process. These funds have also made it possible for a student who is an amputee to attend a conference and realize that her dream of becoming a physical therapist is not beyond reach. Additional funds have helped those with disabilities meet the economic challenges of a college education.

Our work in the personal injury field has brought us into contact with many incredibly dedicated persons who go above and beyond their job requirements to help others. In order to help recognize those persons we created the Anapol Advocate Award which is given on an annual basis to someone who exemplifies the spirit of dedication and compassion in a particular field. The 2010 Anapol Advocate Award was given to a burn survivor who provides training and education about electrical safety and hazards to prevent injury and death to others.The 2011 Anapol Advocate Award will be given to someone who makes a difference in the lives of those with spinal cord injuries. As we continue to settle cases for our clients we will continue to find local charities to support their valuable work.

The article features Anapol Schwartz, and their charitable work in Philadelphia through the Anapol Schwartz Foundation which has granted more than $200,000 to local organizations and 501(c)(3) public charities, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Northern Home for Children, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Philadelphia, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Caren Sydnor Locomotor Training Fund, the Burn Foundation and the Nathan Speare Regional Burn Treatment Center at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.

Joel Feldman a managing partner at Anapol Schwartz , is quoted saying,  ”It was a natural progression” for the firm. “We were involved in charitable work in the local community for some time. Starting the foundation made sense to us because we represented clients who had suffered terrible injuries, and there were many other people who had suffered the same but did not have cases and did not have help.”

Aired on Fox 29 8/17/2010