Friday, September 25, 2009
LIVESTRONG Day at Dutch Wonderland
MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashlee Hess
amhess@dutchwonderland.com
717-606-5305 (office)
717-315-1580 (cell)
LIVESTRONG Day at Dutch Wonderland
Dutch Wonderland Opens Its Gates to Pediatric Cancer Patients As Part of Nationwide LIVESTRONG Day
(Lancaster, PA) – On Friday, October 2, Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park will open its gates to pediatric cancer patients from the Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey; the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Hahnermann University Hospital and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia; and John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore as part of the national Lance Armstrong Foundation LIVESTRONG Day. Vicky Darden – an Ephrata native, cancer survivor, founder of the Living Hope Cancer Survivor Center and Dutch Wonderland safety and security manager – is organizing the event.
From 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., patients and their families can enjoy the Park's rides, games and food venues at no cost. Opening ceremonies are at 9:30 a.m. This event is closed to the general public.
This year's LIVESTRONG Day at Dutch Wonderland is being held on the anniversary of Lance Armstrong's cancer diagnosis. It is the hope of the Lance Armstrong Foundation that there will be at least 1,000 events held worldwide on October 2. LIVESTRONG Day is held to provide community experiences that increase awareness and show support for cancer survivors and their loved ones.
Darden, who recently returned from the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, Ireland, is actively involved in programs that bring awareness to and help find a cure for cancer. In addition to being the driving force behind LIVESTRONG Day at Dutch Wonderland, she is the founder and member of the board of the Living Hope Survivor Center. This nonprofit cancer survivorship center addresses the unmet needs of survivors and offers opportunities to the general public to learn how to pursue healthier lifestyles and possibly prevent cancer in their own lives.
Darden has walked in the Race for the Cure in Harrisburg; completed the LIVESTRONG Challenge, a 100-mile bike tour aimed at raising awareness; was one of 200 advocates nationwide and one of 11 Pennsylvanians who attended hearings on Capitol Hill with Lance Armstrong to bring awareness to the cause; helped fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society through Daffodil Days; and is the leader of the Susquehanna Valley LIVESTRONG Army.
Darden remains humble and sincere about her service. "I don't do it for the recognition," she said. "Cancer patients need a voice, and I'm honored to help in any way I can through my volunteer work."
For more information about LIVESTRONG, visit www.livestrong.org.
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