Thunderbirds Charities, the charity wing of The Thunderbirds the organization that hosts the Waste Management Phoenix Open, donated $250,000 to help fund the construction of the new Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
The donation was made in support of the Hope Lives Here campaign to build a new facility to care for children diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders. The contribution brings Thunderbirds Charities’ lifetime total contributions to Phoenix Children’s Hospital to $1.8 million.
“We are extremely appreciative of Thunderbirds Charities’ gift in support of the Hope Lives Here campaign,” said Steve Schnall, senior vice president at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. “This donation will help us provide world-class care to even more kids and teens diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders, and Thunderbirds Charities’ ongoing support of Phoenix Children’s continues to make an incredible impact on the children and families within our community.”
Nationwide, the number of children diagnosed with cancer grows each year. Phoenix Children’s Hospital also treats more children and teens with hemophilia and sickle cell anemia than anywhere else in Arizona. Those facts coupled with the population growth of children in Phoenix mean demand for cancer treatment is expected to rise in the coming years. The Hope Lives Here campaign funds a center specific to the needs of children with cancer, with around-the-clock care and specialized physicians to fuel hope, healing and recovery.
“Our partnership with PCH fills us with pride,” said Dan Mahoney, president of Thunderbirds Charities. “We’re honored to help one of the best children’s medicine institutions in the country grow and continue to serve the community.”
The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders will be completed in November 2017 and will open its doors the same month. The Thunderbirds Charities donation will specifically help fund the prep and recovery room at The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Located adjacent to The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders’ treatment rooms, the prep and recovery room will allow for procedures to be performed within the clinic space rather than transporting patients to the operating room.
