Humor Suits Baby Docs to a “Tee” To Raise Over $16,000 for Women’s & Children’s Services at Saddleback Memorial

Photo caption: Clockwise, from back left: Dennis Phillips, M.D., Ernest Hayward Jr., M.D., Jay Mersch, M.D., Hugo Folli, Saddleback Memorial Vice President of Ancillary Services, Eric Ball, M.D., Michael Haydon, M.D., Kerry Price, M.D., David Lagrew, M.D., Ron Naglie, M.D., Saddleback Memorial Medical Director for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Jonathan Auth, M.D., Miao Crystal Yu, M.D.

Monday nights are usually slow in the restaurant business, but Dizz’s As Is in Laguna Beach was busting at the seams on Monday, November 7. Friends and supporters of Saddleback Memorial filled up the popular local eatery for the 18th annual Dizz’s As Is fundraiser. The event raised more than $16,000 (net) to benefit The Women’s Hospital at Saddleback Memorial.

What makes this event a favorite year after year among the physicians is the casual atmosphere (the theme is to wear your favorite funny T-shirt), and that a group of select physicians become the wait staff for the night.

By day they delivered babies and performed surgeries, and by night they were passing around appetizer trays, taking drink orders and delivering entrees. The guests (mostly other physicians affiliated with Saddleback Memorial) enjoyed the party, laughed at the comical shirts, and bid on auction items – all for a cause to which they’re closely connected.

“This is an event where all the guests have known each other a long time,” said Cecilia Belew, president of Saddleback Memorial Foundation. “It’s a big group of friends having fun, enjoying each other’s company, and raising money for our tiniest patients at The Women’s Hospital. What could be better?”

This 18th year proved bittersweet as well, as guests felt the absence of Marc Pitz, one of the Dizz’s As Is owners who had been a large organizer of the event for the previous 17 years. Marc lost his battle with pancreatic cancer this year, and the Foundation presented Marc’s father Marcel Pitz and brother Dominic Pitz with special event shirts bearing Marc’s photo.

“Marc was very special to us,” said Ron Naglie, M.D., medical director for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Saddleback Memorial. “He exemplified the meaning of ‘pay it forward,’ and we all miss him. Dizz’s As Is closes to the public every year for this event, and we appreciate how much they understand our mission and open their doors to us.”

Also making this event special was that it was the first time Steve Geidt would be there not as CEO of Saddleback Memorial. Geidt retired on September 28 after 35 years of serving the hospital, and will continue to serve the patients as a board member of Saddleback Memorial Foundation. He returns every year to Dizz’s as the live auctioneer, and this year was no different, except this year he asked for auction bids from his successor Marcia Manker, the new Saddleback Memorial CEO.