LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food of Landover, Md. will launch its eighth annual Triple Winner game on April 13, benefiting the Pediatric Oncology Division at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc. Since its start in 2005, Triple Winner has raised $10 million for pediatric cancer research, making it one of the most successful cause-marketing programs in the nation. This year, Giant has committed to raise $1.5 million for the fight against children's cancer.
Customers can donate $1 at their neighborhood Giant to receive a Triple Winner scratch card. Every card is a winner, and prizes include a free product, gift card, or cash up to $10,000. One hundred percent of the donations will go directly to the Pediatric Oncology Division at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and The Children's Cancer Foundation.
"Having raised $10 million over the history of Triple Winner is an incredible and humbling accomplishment. Through conversations with our friends at Johns Hopkins and The Children's Cancer Foundation, it's clear that every dollar helps make a difference," said Anthony Hucker, president, Giant Food of Landover, Md. "I'm proud to be part of the Giant team and especially thank our associates for making Giant's contribution to the fight against pediatric cancer so successful."
Each year, four local children who are patients at the Kimmel Cancer Center are chosen as Triple Winner ambassadors. They serve as the brave faces of childhood cancer. The 2012 ambassadors are:
Christian is a nine-year-old fourth grader who has Lymphoma. Despite his illness, Christian is very active and loves fishing and crabbing on the Eastern Shore with his two brothers. He hopes to join the football team once he's finished with chemo.
Eleven-year-old Mercedes has Leukemia and is one of six kids. She loves dancing and fashion and aspires to be a lawyer and doctor.
Originally from India, Neha, 16, has Lymphoma, but is as bright as they come. She writes short stories and has tutored fellow students. Neha also loves to cook and has distributed food to Washington, D.C.'s homeless.
Rick, 17, is a member of the National Honor Society and has brain cancer. He organized a fundraiser that resulted in more than $17,000 for cancer research. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is sending Rick and his family to Australia this month, and he plans to attend the University of South Carolina.
"One person, one ticket at a time, Giant's Triple Winner program provides vital support in the treatment of childhood cancers by rapidly moving research findings from our laboratories to patients," said Dr. Donald Small, director of pediatric oncology at the Kimmel Cancer Center. "Giant's extraordinary commitment helps continue our mission to finding cures for childhood cancers."
The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center features one of the most comprehensive pediatric oncology programs in the country. It is a recognized "center of excellence" for bone marrow transplants and includes specialized areas of expertise in treating brain tumors, sarcoma, leukemia, and lymphoma. The Center's pediatric oncologists, nurses, and staff provide compassionate care to hundreds of children each year. The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc. is committed to raising funds for building cancer treatment facilities in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia as well as for the research and treatment of cancers that affect children. Since its founding, the Foundation has given grants totaling more than $32.7 million.
About Giant Food of Landover, Md.
Giant Food LLC, headquartered in Landover, Md., operates 174 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs approximately 22,000 associates. Included within the 174 stores are 159 full-service pharmacies. Giant opened the first supermarket in the nation's capital on February 6, 1936. For more information on Giant, visit www.GiantFood.com.
About Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
One of only 40 cancer centers in the country designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center has active programs in clinical research, laboratory research, education, community outreach, and prevention and control. The Kimmel Cancer Center is the only Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state of Maryland.
About The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc.
The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc. (CCF), a local non-profit organization not affiliated with any national charity, founded in 1983 by 87 year old Board President Shirley Howard, has raised and donated over $32.7 million dollars to hospitals and researchers in the Maryland/DC Corridor including: The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Pediatric Oncology & Pediatric Neurosurgery), University of Maryland Medical Center, The Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Children's National Medical Center, National Cancer Institute at National Institutes of Health (NIH), Sinai Hospital, and The Children's Inn at NIH. When CCF started in 1983, only 1 out of 10 children with cancer survived. Today, the ratio is 8+ out of 10 children. It is the goal of CCF's two employees and its Volunteer Board, to raise money and awareness until 10 out of 10 children survive.
Source: Landover, MD — Giant Food LLC