Taking a shot at cancer

MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital had a home court advantage at the 2012 NCAA^® Men’s Final Four^® April 1 in New Orleans, thanks to LG Electronics USA being an Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA.  LG’s Home Court Challenge, at the NCAA’s Bracket Town^®, celebrated the spirit of competition between two college rivals while raising awareness of the need for pediatric cancer research funding.

Patients and their families relived college basketball history, cheering former NCAA basketball all-stars Bobby Hurley from Duke University and Travis Ford from the University of Kentucky.

Hurley and Ford competed in a variety of domestic challenges using LG consumer electronics on a basketball-court-turned-model home.  The two last faced off in 1992 when Duke played Kentucky in what has been called the greatest basketball game in NCAA history.

LG senior vice president of marketing James Fishler presented $15,000 to support MD Anderson’s pediatric cancer research.

“LG recognizes MD Anderson’s leadership in pediatric cancer research,” says Fishler.  “We’ve supported cancer research for years globally and wanted to bring that support to such an important initiative here in the United States.”

A matching $15,000 gift from The V Foundation, founded by legendary NCAA basketball coach Jim Valvano to support cancer research, resulted in a combined donation total of $30,000.

“We’re truly honored to partner with LG and match its generous donation to support MD Anderson’s research,” says Nick Valvano, chief executive officer of The V Foundation.

At center court to thank LG and The V Foundation was Duke University alumna Eugenie Kleinerman, M.D., head of MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital.

“We use philanthropic funds, such as the ones we received from LG and The V Foundation, to support the infrastructure we need to do clinical trials and develop new drugs for our patients,” says Kleinerman.

LG also donated a variety of consumer products including smart phones and household appliances to the Children’s Cancer Hospital.

Fourteen-year-old Jeffrey Bodin, a native of Mandeville, La., was proud to represent his fellow Children’s Cancer Hospital patients at the Bracket Town presentation.

 “It’s really nice,” says Bodin, “because it will help a lot of kids when they’re going through a hard time in their lives.”

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