On Saturday, October 1, the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer will host its largest diversionary therapy program of the year, held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA. The program is part of Petit Le Mans, the final race of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) 2011 season, being held at Road Atlanta that day.
As the official charity of the ALMS, the Austin Hatcher Foundation has spent the past several months touring the country and bringing its diversionary therapy program, “Fueling Potential: Racing to Win,” to hospitals at each stop on the ALMS schedule.
At Road Atlanta, children and their families will be brought out to the races and treated to an entire day of motorsports activities, including the chance to build and race their own pinewood derby cars, as well as take a lap around Road Atlanta’s 2.54 mile racetrack in the official ALMS pace car. The day will also include a flag ceremony, trackside hospitality, and autographs and photos with professional race car drivers. The program is offered at absolutely no cost to children and families affected by pediatric cancer.
In addition to its “Fueling Potential: Racing to Win” program, the Austin Hatcher Foundation will also bring its new health education program to the Road Atlanta Kids Zone.
The program, sponsored by Volkswagen Chattanooga, uses kid-friendly car imagery to teach children about nutrition, exercise, sun safety, and the dangers of tobacco, with the goal of equipping them to make healthy lifestyle choices.
If you would like more information on these or other Austin Hatcher Foundation programs, please eamil alissa@hatcherfoundation.org
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The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer’s mission is to erase the effects of pediatric cancer and optimize each child’s quality of life through essential specialized intervention beginning at the time of diagnosis and continuing throughout survivorship. The Foundation provides services to children with cancer, as well as their families, through its cancer care center, Hatch’s House of Hope. The Foundation provides all services at no cost to the families. Services are funded solely by the generous donations of supporters. For more information, visit www.hatcherfoundation.org
Hatch’s House of Hope is a landmark pediatric cancer care center providing children and their families with the tools needed to cope and thrive at the onset of pediatric cancer, as well as the skills essential to live meaningful and productive lives as cancer survivors. The comprehensive services offered at no cost to families by Hatch’s include: individual and group counseling, marital and family counseling, speech and occupational therapy, music and art therapy, cognitive skills remediation, academic coaching, financial counseling, and diversionary therapy events for family enrichment. Services are provided from diagnosis through treatment, during remission, and into adulthood. For more information, visit www.hatchshouse.org
