By Linda Wisch Davidsohn
Jill Saffran Sedacca’s practice relocates … a conversation with the pediatrician
One of the most important decisions parents face is choosing a very qualified pediatrician to care for their newborn or children. There are multiple qualities to consider — but a few that I have found important both as a mother and nurse — such as the desire for the physician to grow along with my children and the physician’s availability to treat my infant, toddler (yes, mine were once toddlers — and even teens) and teenagers with kindness and respect, and to treat my questions and/or concerns seriously.
Yes, motherhood is hard — and we’re all faced with tough choices, but the right pediatrician, such as Dr. Jill Saffran Sedacca, can help make the joyous journey of parenthood much easier.
Jill, the daughter of Roberta and Sy Saffran and mom to Max, 16, (a student at Booker T Washington) and Joshua, 14, (a student at The Greenhill School), has been practicing Pediatrics since 1995. Her initial office opened in Plano.
Born in Queens, New York, Jill’s family moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where Jill lived from ages 7-11. The Saffran family then made Dallas their home when Jill was 11 years old. Jill is a graduate of JJ Pearce High School, and Tulane University where she was a member of SDT Sorority. She attended medical school at UTMB — Galveston, and did her internship and residency at the prestigious Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
During our interview, Jill was engaging, soft-spoken, a good listener and easy to talk to. Her passion for her profession was palpable as we spoke. I asked her why she chose pediatrics — and she replied that “I’ve always loved kids and I baby-sat quite a bit, and loved anatomy. It seemed like a good fit for me. I felt that it would offer me a more stable career, and that it would allow me the flexibility to be with my children as they grew.”
Jill opened her new state-of the-art Casa Linda office (9540 Garland Road, Ste. 410) at the end of August. It has been a labor of love for her. As a solo practitioner, she sees patients from newborns to age 18. Office hours are Monday — Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most insurance plans are accepted. Jill said that she “loves the location, and that her “entire staff came with her to the new office” which is conveniently located next to an Urgent Care center and allows her immediate access to X-Rays and other minor emergency services. She also had many patients follow her to the new location.
While we were talking, I asked Jill to tell me some of the favorite parts of her profession. She stated that she loves watching her patients grow from newborns through different stages — and reassuring moms and dads that the crying stages don’t last forever. Additionally, Jill enjoys counseling parents to help them get through difficult times. She is also devoted to working with families who have children with special needs.
Jill is on staff at Doctors Hospital at White Rock. She is Board-Certified by The American Board of Pediatrics, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Dallas County Medical Society. She also enjoys working with the Gladys Golman-Faye Dallen Special Needs’ Fund of the DJCF. She and her boys are members of Congregation Shearith Israel. Jill’s hobbies include spending time with Max and Joshua, reading, working out at The J, as well as singing and performing as time allows.
Jill is available to speak at preschools, health-fairs and other events. For additional information, regarding appointments or to contact Dr. Sedacca for a speaking engagement or presentation, call 469-804-3507.
I had some personal thoughts as I put my pen down on my notepad. We are so lucky to live in a country where women have the freedom to pursue their dreams and achieve success when the dream is realized.
I also felt a bit nostalgic. I remember the days many, many years ago when I needed my pediatrician’s advice on a multitude of situations and “emergencies.” Now, I gaze from afar as my grown children are interacting with their pediatricians and facing their own challenges as parents.
Speaking with Jill was a pleasure. If my children were young, I have no doubt that she would have been be a perfect fit for my children.
Dallas teen Sam Horowitz launches YouTube fashion advice show ‘Sam Says’
Local teen Sam Horowitz, son of Angela Horowitz and Gary Horowitz, catapulted to Internet stardom last summer when his bar mitzvah party opened with Sam performing a lively dance routine with eight backup dancers to Jennifer Lopez’s “Dance Again” as part of his birthday celebration. The smile-inducing video caught the attention of the general public and national media alike — and went viral. Sam has since made appearances on “Ellen” and “Good Morning America,” as well as local programs including “D: The Broadcast.”
Sam’s love for entertaining is matched by his passion for fashion. Sam, an impeccably-accessorized young man attended Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013 in New York City and is a go-to consultant for friends and family. The blue-eyed budding entertainer has been a fashion fanatic since the tender age of 3 and knows more about designers and styling than most adults.
The 14-year-old clotheshorse has taken his natural talent and launched a Web series called “Sam Says!” — a weekly program where Sam delivers the latest fashion news and trends from all over the world. He shows viewers how to make fashion fun, fabulous and unforgettable!
The series intro was recently shot in Los Angeles and the first eight webisodes will be filmed in Dallas at popular hotspots including Animal Crackers, Celebrity Bakery, Clothes Circuit, Gregory’s, The Shak, Tootsies , and Neiman Marcus. Sam will also include Stanley Korshak, Cowboy Cool, Costume World, Second Evolution, Vintage Martini, Abi Ferron, G Wear and the JCC in additional episodes.
Sam’s upbeat personality and flair for performing make him the perfect host and stylist to help people achieve their fashion goals, whether it’s shopping for fall trends or dressing for a special occasion such as day to eveningwear or homecoming. The teen style guru is obsessed with shoes and counts Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Versace and Giuseppe Zanotti among his favorite designers. Sam has a winning smile that lights up his entire face. The smile is contagious, for as a viewer, it travels through my computer and warms my heart.
The premiere of “Sam Says!” aired at 4 p.m. CST, Sunday, Aug. 24. Viewers can subscribe to the channel to watch the show every week, and ask Sam their most pressing fashion questions. Additionally, viewers can invite friends to join!
A Dallas native, Sam has been performing since age 3. Prior to his rise to YouTube fame, Sam got a taste of acting with numerous roles in productions for the Jewish Community Center and Richardson Company Theatre, a commercial for McDonald’s and a Barney video. In 2010, he learned Yiddish in order to sing a solo for a crowd of 1,000 at a fundraiser for the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance attended by the mayor and other officials. Most recently, “The Daily Beast” and WFAA-TV interviewed Sam. To ring in 2014, he danced for a crowd of 35,000 at the Big D New Year’s Eve event in Dallas. Sam was also cast in the 2014 full-length feature film “Son of Sam.” Sam is a freshman at Parish Episcopal School. He manages to balance his schoolwork by completing it immediately to achieve his responsibilities in filming “Sam Says.”
Sam is the brother of Sydney and Max Horowitz who have appeared on his show. He is the grandson of Carol and Steve Aaron, Jay Horowitz and Sue Horowitz.
Sam’s publicist is Joanne Yurich of The Y Group.
For additional information on Sam and Sam Says, visit: youtube.com/user/meetsamhorowitz.
