The SuRVivor Tour’s Cross Country Trek to Raise Awareness and Funds for Childhood Cancer Research Visits Jacksonville Area

Jacksonville, Florida
Friday, December 21, 2007 @ 09:31 AM EST
by: Odette Struys

WHAT: Deborah Shapiro and Gary Rideout left their home in Geneva, Ill. in July and will spend the next year fulfilling a lifelong dream of touring the United States in their RV. The couple has partnered with the St. Baldrick's Foundation to take on the road and childhood cancer, making a difference one city at a time. The St. Baldrick's Foundation coordinates worldwide head-shaving events, with volunteer "shavees" raising money to support childhood cancer research. Shapiro and Rideout kicked the tour off by shaving their heads at a Boston-area event in August. On December 24, The SuRVivor Tour will visit the Nemours Children's Clinic and the Wolfson Children's Hospital. At the Nemours Children's Clinic, Shapiro will visit with children and staff. Also, Shapiro will meet pediatric cancer inpatients at Wolfson Children's Hospital, where she will help give out gingerbread houses for the Christmas holiday. St. Baldrick's has provided activity Fun Books that Shapiro will be giving out to all of the children, as well. Since 2000, St. Baldrick's Foundation head-shaving events have taken place in 18 countries and 46 U.S. states, raising more than $34 million, and shaving more than 46,000 heads. The action of shaving one's head is to both raise funds and show solidarity to the kids who typically lose their hair during cancer treatments.

WHEN: Monday, December 24 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Nemours Children's Clinic 807 Children's Way 8th Floor Jacksonville, Fla. 32207

WHO: Deborah Shapiro, SuRVivor team leader Eric Sandler, M.D., Nemours Children's Clinic Nemours Children's Clinic Wolfson Children's Hospital

For more information or to arrange interviews contact:
Jayme Burnett
(O): 919-334-3779
(C): 919-803-2395
Email: jayme.burnett@fleishman.com

Odette Struys
(O) 904-697-4186
(C) 904-728-1062
Email ostruys@nemours.org

modified: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 @ 09:36 AM EDT
created: Friday, December 21, 2007 @ 09:34 AM EST

About Nemours

Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.

Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.

Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.