Dinner Honors Legacy of Dr. Les Meyer and Celebrates Creation of Senior Genetics Scholar at the Greenwood Genetic Center

07.07.11

The Board of Directors of the Greenwood Genetic Center announced contributions of $150,000 toward the creation of the Leslie C. Meyer Senior Genetics Scholar
Program at a dinner honoring the legacy of the late Greenville physician last night at the Poinsett Club. Dr. Meyer, a noted Greenville orthopedic
surgeon, humanitarian and founder of the Meyer Center for Special Children, had a particular interest in genetic disorders of the skeleton. Dr. Jon
Davids, Chief of Staff at Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, and Dr. Roger Stevenson, Director of the Greenwood Genetic Center, paid tribute
to Dr. Meyer’s life of service to children with disabilities including his commitment to advancing the understanding of skeletal disorders.

“Through his many scientific publications and training of several generations of orthopedic scientists, Les Meyer’s devotion to scholarship was evident,”
recalled Stevenson. “The Leslie C. Meyer Senior Genetics Scholar position is created as an extension of Dr. Meyer’s scholarly pursuits as an international
authority on the genetics of skeletal disorders.”

The scientist chosen to fill this position will have broad experience and recognized accomplishments in the area of skeletal genetics. The Scholar will
be in residence at the Greenwood Genetic Center for a portion of each year providing clinical consultations, teaching and conducting research related
to skeletal disorders with a focus on treatment. The Scholar will also participate in clinics at Shriners Hospital, where Dr. Meyer served as Chief
of Staff. “The Leslie C. Meyer Senior Genetics Scholar will hold a prominent position on our faculty,” explained Stevenson. “The major focus of the
Scholar’s work will be to develop strategies to prevent and cure disabling genetic disorders of the skeleton.”

The Greenwood Genetic Center faculty began holding monthly clinics at Shriners Hospital in 1976 at Dr. Meyer’s invitation. These clinics continue to this
day providing evaluations for children with heritable skeletal disorders. Dr. Meyer was actively involved with the Greenwood Genetic Center joining
their Board of Directors in 1995 and being named to their first class of Directors Emeritus in 2006.

The initial funding for the Leslie C. Meyer Senior Genetics Scholar Program was provided through the generous support of friends of Dr. Meyer. The Greenwood
Genetic Center focuses on diagnosing and treating individuals with both intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as providing research and educational
resources through its main campus in Greenwood and offices in Greenville, Charleston, Columbia and Florence.

Mother and son

A Rare Beauty

The lobby of the JC Self Research Institute at GGC was transformed into a garden – of sorts. The art exhibit titled ‘Rare Roses’ consisted of 12 paintings that depict real roses with genetic variations. The series was created by Nicole Shannon, an artist from Greenville. Nicole was inspired by her son, who has a rare genetic disorder, and other individuals with genetic differences. Quinn, now 4, was born with a myriad of health issues and ...

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