Cover_Jan 05 (Page 2) - The Parklander Magazine

Child Of Holocaust Survivors Hasn’t Forgotten His Roots
Orthopedic Surgeon Focuses On The Human Element
By Stephanie Polin
Dr. Manuel Porth is a highly
skilled orthopedic surgeon who
believes in treating his patients with
humanity and kindness. The need to
help others is derived from a long
journey that he and his family began
over a half-century ago.
After his expansive family of 13 in
Lithuania was reduced to four, Moshe
Rapaport, his wife and two sons—
three-year-old Mendel (Manny) and
one-year-old Eli—began the difficult
excursion across Russia and Europe
into a displaced persons camp amidst
a post-war Germany. In 1951, the family’s
visa application was approved
and they left Europe on the U.S.S.
General Taylor and arrived in the
United States on June 20.
Despite the hardships, the family
flourished with a drive for hard work
and the love of knowledge.
Eventually, the Porth family opened a grocery store in Detroit
and then another in Chicago. Even though the hours were
very long, the parents always made quality time for their sons
and stressed the importance of reading. These ideological
traits led Mendel to Wayne State University in Detroit and a
general residency at the University of Chicago. As time
passed, Mendel Rapaport became Dr. Manuel Porth, a person
with a passion for his craft and his family.
“I do believe in a grand plan,” said Porth, who believes it
is his responsibility to take care of the same people he came
here with more than 50 years ago. The Yiddish term bashert,
which means “it is written and it is destined to be that way,”
is Porth’s ideology of life.
Following his residency, Porth was drafted into the
U.S. Army and assigned to the Walter Reed Army Medical
Center in Washington, D.C. He served for almost eight years
in the military.
Porth is a pioneer in the field of total joint replacement
surgery, and for the past 15 years he has performed surgeries
on shoulders, elbows, hips, ankles and knees. For patients
considering this type of surgery, the outcomes are quite
unique as opposed to non-total joint orthopedic surgeries. A
total joint knee replacement allows for a non-cemented knee,
resulting in more rotation and a much more natural knee.
Porth’s patients take comfort in knowing that he takes
time to explain the entire procedure and allows the patient to
see and hold the prosthesis.
With Porth’s background and strong sense of family, his
patients relate to him on a personal level. Many of his patients
are Holocaust survivors and they are comfortable with him
since he is a child of Holocaust survivors. In addition, Porth
speaks fluent Yiddish and German, and his quality of concern
for hs patients is heartfelt. He explained that since he never
got to meet his extended family, he feels it's important to take
care of the people who came here and suffered as he and his
family did. a
Porth and his wife Jackie are
active members of the community
and share a wealth of compassion for
helping others. They serve as board
members for the Arthritis Foundation
of South Florida. Porth has also been a
member of the medical team for the
“March of the Living”, where 6,000
children recreate a “death march” to a
concentration camp on Yom Hashoah,
the “Day of Remembrance.” The
march is comprised of young people
from 40 different countries who travel
from Poland and then to Israel. The
event occurs every two years and
began in 1986. The Porths have
participated for the past eight years.
Professionally, Porth remains on
the cutting edge of total joint replacement
surgery by keeping up with
the latest techniques and by sharing
his experience and expertise with
others in the medical field as well as
his patients. ● P
Stephanie Polin lives in Plantation and teaches journalism at Coconut
Creek High School.
continued from page 18
Long Term Coverage
pay only limited amounts for skilled care and nothing for
custodial care.
2. Educate Yourself — Visit Web sites that focus on aging and
read related articles.
3. Discuss Your Long Term Care Plan with Your Family —
Consider whether your spouse, children or other family members
could provide care and the extent to which you want to rely on
them.
4. Consider a Range of Care Options — Decide if you want a
policy for some or all of the following: home care, communitybased
services (like an adult day center), assisted living facility
and/or nursing home.
5. Buy Only the Coverage You Need — You don’t need to
purchase insurance to cover all anticipated costs if you can pay
part of them from your income or assets.
6. Buy at a Young Age — Your lifetime premiums will be
dramatically less the younger you are when you first purchase
the coverage. For example, an individual first purchasing coverage
at age 50 and paying premiums for 40 years (assuming
demise at age 90) would pay less in total premiums than an individual
waiting until age 70 and paying premiums for 20 years
(assuming demise at age 90).
7. Purchase From a Financially Stable Company — Check
ratings of companies to find out their solvency to ensure the
company will be in business when you need coverage.
8. Purchase From an Experienced Agent — Unfortunately,
not all agents specialize in this area and many show consumers a
coverage amount above what realistically is needed. Every policy
should be custom designed to fit all budgets and needs. ● P
Warren Marmorstein is president of Net Worth, a financial planning,
investments and insurance firm.
20
the PARKLANDER