Dr. Jiveh Puts A Great Big Smile On The Face of Contest Winner
By Georgia Jacoviello
Town-Crier Staff Report
"I can't smile without you" maybe a line from a popular Barry Manilow tune, but Royal Palm Beach resident Kathy Jaramillo found out Monday that Dr. Farokh Jiveh was going to make that line a reality for her.
A finalist in Dr. Jiveh;s first Holiday Smile Giveaway, Jaramillo was stunned when the doctor and his Smiles By Jiveh staff came out with a beautiful floral bouquet, balloons and a sign announcing that she was the winner.
"For a long time I have wanted to do something special for this community which I love," Dr. Jiveh said. "After hearing so many stories about the effect of two hurricanes on so many South Floridians, and not being able to really do anything for them, I decided to use my expertise and knowledge in cosmetic dentistry to give back to a community that has for so long contributed to my success."
Dr. Jiveh said he decided to put a smile on some deserving individual's face and thank the community at the same time the only way he knew how - by giving it away. "I thought, what better time to do something like this than during the holiday season, " Dr. Jiveh said. "We advertised the contest and received a great response from the community. Although many of the letters touched us deeply, Kathy Jaramillo's plight just stuck with us."
Jaramillo's 15-year-old daughter Melissa said that the moment she saw the ad in the newspaper, she knew her mother was the perfect entry. In her letter, Melissa noted that her mother has endured much in her life, but through it all she managed to continue to be a role model to her daughter and her son Joseph, who also wrote a letter about his mother. Both said their mom's bad teeth were affecting her self-image and her health.
"She dedicates her time to tutoring kids and raising out family," Joseph wrote. "Because her teeth are crooked, people stare at her and make the wrong judgment of her character and intelligence because of the condition of her teeth. She is a very smart woman, and I want to give her the confidence she should have, and a new smile will do that for her."
Joseph noted that since he could not afford to help his mother get her teeth fixed, entering the contest was the next best thing. "She is a caring and loving person and never puts herself first," he concluded. "I thought it was about time for her to get something for herself."
That was just the type of person Dr. Jiveh was looking for. "We decided to choose our winner by looking at the work they do in the community and their dedication to others. We also took into consideration the individual's financial and health status," he said. "Although many of the entries we received touched our hearts, Kathy's stood out for many reasons. I truly believe that a smile makeover can change a person's life, and reading the letters about Kathy Jaramillo only reinforced my belief."
Jaramillo is severely diabetic but has always remained a kind and giving person. Her job as a tutor helps many children in the community who are having difficulties in certain subjects, and she has a way about her that enables then to understand what she teaches them, allowing the students to grasp skills they did not have before.
"We learned that her smile sometimes hinders her work as a tutor," Jiveh said. "And because of her finances, she could not complete past dental work. My staff and I felt Kathy was of great value to the community, and the role she plays in the lives of children had to continue. If giving her a great smile was going to contribute that, it was the key to opening our door and welcoming her in as the winner of out smile giveaway."
Although Kathy was pretty much speechless when she found out she had won he contest, she did say that she was grateful being chosen and that she owed it to her children for having nominated her. "I just can't believe this is happening to me," Jaramillo said. "This is like a dream come true. I thank Dr. Jiveh and his staff for choosing me. I feel like I won the lottery. I'm just so very, very happy."
Dr, Jiveh didn't waste any time. He immediately ushered Jaramillo to the dental chair and prepared to take x-rays and molds of his exuberant winner's mouth.
"This is going to be a wonderful experience for all of us," Dr. Jiveh said, adding that he wanted to thank everyone who entered. "Each and every person will get a personal thank-you note. This is my way of giving back to this fabulous town."
The dentist was also very impressed by Jaramillo's children. "We congratulate her and her children, who cared so much for their mom that they took the time and the initiative to thank her for all she has done for them and the children she helps," he said. "I am ecstatic and honored to be able to give Kathy her wish, and we are just as excited to see the end result as she is."
Smiles by Jiveh, specializing in restorative and cosmetic dentistry, is located at 11989 Southern Blvd. in the Crestwood Square Shopping Center. Stop by, call (561) 798-9997 or visit www.smilesbyjiveh.com for more information.
Dr Farokh Jiveh - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry, smile makeovers and dental crowns to the areas of West Palm Beach and Wellington, South Florida.
West Palm Beach cosmetic dentistry
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