Reprinted from Yale New Haven Children's Hopsital © Copyright 2009
March 25, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark D'Antonio
203.688.2493
mark.dantonio@ynhh.org
New Haven, CT, March 25, 2009 - Strike 3 Foundation has pledged $500,000 to Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital (YNHCH) to help enhance its Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Program. Strike 3 Foundation was established in 2008 by Craig Breslow, a Trumbull, CT native and Major League baseball player who pitches for the Minnesota Twins. Breslow's sister is a survivor of childhood cancer and he started the foundation to heighten awareness, mobilize support and raise funds for childhood cancer research.
"Bone marrow transplantation is an area that has transformed the treatment of cancers and diseases that were incurable in the past," said Joe Lizza, COO of Strike 3 Foundation. "It is important to our organization to support a program that will help improve the lives of children battling cancer. Working with Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital to expand its Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Program is a perfect fit for our mission."
"The enhanced program at YNHCH will provide exceptional care and support to approximately 40 children and their families each year who would otherwise have to travel out-of-state for treatment" said Dr. Gary Kupfer, chief of pediatric hematology and oncology at the Children's Hospital. Strike 3's funding will also help support the addition of specialized medical staff, data management to improve outcomes and ongoing staff training.
"We are delighted that Strike 3 has chosen Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital as the recipient of its long term support in the area of Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation," said Marna Borgstrom, president and CEO of Yale-New Haven Hospital. "This generous funding will allow us to further enhance our program of life-saving therapies for childhood cancer, immune deficiencies and genetic disorders and improve outcomes for our youngest patients."
CAPTION: Joe Lizza (third from left), Chief Operating Officer, Strike 3 Foundation, presented a check for $500,000, representing the total of the Foundation's five year commitment to the YNHCH Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Program to (l-r) Michael Apkon, MD, YNHCH vice president and executive director; Gary Kupfer, MD, chief of pediatric hematology and oncology; Marna P. Borgstrom, YNHH President and CEO, Margaret Hostetter, MD, Physician-in-Chief, YNHCH; Peter Herbert, MD, YNHH Chief of Staff; and pediatric surgeon Robert Touloukian, MD.
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Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, with 201 of Yale-New Haven's 944 beds, offers Connecticut's largest and most comprehensive array of maternity and pediatric services, including newborn special care and maternal special care units, a 19-bed pediatric intensive care unit, 24-hour pediatric emergency room, pediatric surgery center and a pediatric clinical research unit. For more information, visit www.ynhchildrens.org
Strike 3 Foundation was established by Trumbull native and Minnesota Twins pitcher, Craig Breslow in 2008 to heighten awareness, mobilize support and raise funds for childhood cancer research. For more information, visit www.strike3foundation.org