Lecavalier

Maybe I'm prejudiced, but I think he's a pretty amazing guy. Read
on...

**************************

LIGHTNING’S LECAVALIER EYES ONE MORE GOAL
$3-Million Commitment for Pediatric Cancer Center at All Children’s

Oct. 16, 2007 (Tampa FL) The NHL’s leading goal scorer in 2006 -07 has
set a new goal for the future – one that will leave a legacy for
children battling cancer and blood disorders.

Tampa Bay Lightning center Vinny Lecavalier today announced a
$3-million dollar commitment to construction of the new All Children’s
Hospital in downtown St. Petersburg, FL – specifically for a
state-of-the art facility that will be named the Vincent Lecavalier
Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

“I love kids – and I love the Tampa Bay area. So this is a cause with
great meaning to me,” explained Lecavalier, who hosts the families of
children with cancer in his VIP Suite at several Lightning home games
each season. “I’ve been fortunate to get to know some of these
families. It’s sad whenever you see kids that are sick. Coming to the
games is an opportunity to put a smile on their faces. But this is a
chance to leave a legacy for them and so many others like them for
years to come.”

Lecavalier’s legacy is much more than his name on a building. More
than half the funds will be gifted through the foundation by Lecavalier
and foundation legacy partners such as Kane’s Furniture and DEX
Imaging. The remaining dollars will be raised through the community and
foundation efforts such as Lecavalier's annual Texas Hold’Em Celebrity
Poker Tournament at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

The Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center will
occupy half of the seventh floor in the new All Children’s Hospital
currently under construction at the corner of Sixth Street and Sixth
Avenue South in St. Petersburg. Its 26,500 square-feet will include 28
individual patient rooms with accommodations for parents to stay
overnight with their child. Patients receiving lifesaving blood or
marrow transplants can also be cared for in these rooms. Playrooms
will include an area specifically geared toward adolescent-aged
patients. and the entire Center is designed with a special
HEPA-filtered positive pressure airflow system. This allows young
patients whose immune systems may be suppressed due to chemotherapy the
chance to move freely about the unit rather than being restricted to
their rooms.

While the generous gift comes in the midst of a capital campaign for
hospital construction, it will yield greater benefits than simple
bricks and mortar.

“The creation of this new Vincent Lecavalier Center will allow us to
build upon our established tradition of providing top-notch care for
children with cancer and blood disorders,” said Gary Carnes, President
and CEO, All Children’s Health System. “It’s more than a new home for
one of the largest pediatric cancer programs in the Southeastern United
States. The Center provides the space for our program to flourish and
continue attracting expertise in treatment, teaching and research
related to pediatric cancer and blood disorders. Vinny’s name gives us
greater visibility - but his commitment to the program gives our
patients a strong and caring partner for the future.”

##
ABOUT VINCENT LECAVALIER FOUNDATION

Tampa Bay Lightning Center Vinny Lecavalier has made community giving
and charitable work a daily part of his life since joining the team in
1998. Since his youth, during which time he spent many summers working
with disadvantaged peers, Vinny has felt a passion and desire for
giving back.

Later, in 2003, Vinny formalized his charitable efforts through the
creation of The Vincent Lecavalier Foundation. Due to the NHL 2004/05
season lock-out, the Foundation was not officially launched until
December 2005. Since that time, Vinny has contributed significantly to
local children’s hospitals and charities through contributions and
personal support, including numerous patient and agency visits.

Early giving efforts focused on an on-ice performance based
contributions program benefiting All Children’s Hospital in partnership
with Kane’s Furniture. Since 2003, Vinny, in partnership with Kane's
Furniture, has donated just under $70,000 to All Children’s Hospital
through an on-ice performance initiative. For every goal he scores,
Vinny and Kane’s donate $1,000; for each assist, $300.

Due to his phenomenal year on ice last season, the All Children’s
Hospital contribution for the 2006-2007 has surpassed any previous
year’s award.
ABOUT ALL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL:

All Children's Hospital is the only freestanding children’s hospital on
Florida’s West Coast and a leader in pediatric treatment, education,
research and advocacy. It has consistently ranked among America’s top
25 children’s hospitals in comparative studies done by Child Magazine,
which rated All Children's Hospital as the best in Florida in 2007.
All Children's has also garnered Most Outstanding Business awards from
the Tampa Bay Business Journal and the Greater St. Petersburg Chamber
of Commerce.

The mission of this private, not-for-profit hospital is rooted in its
beginnings as Florida’s first Crippled Children’s Hospital for polio
victims. All Children’s understands that it’s not enough to treat
disease -- that true progress comes from teaching and research to cure
disease. All Children’s shares its pediatric expertise through research
& education affiliations with the University of South Florida (USF
Health) as well as the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research
Institute.

As a regional referral center for children with some of the most
challenging medical problems, All Children’s draws patients from
throughout Florida, all 50 states and 36 foreign countries. Growing
regional demand is such that construction is now underway on a new
hospital and outpatient center to replace the current 40-year old
facility. When this $300-million project is completed in 2009, it will
represent nearly a million square feet of space dedicated to
state-of-the-art pediatric healthcare.


FAST FACTS:

Vinny Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
at All Children’s Hospital

* Will occupy 26,500 square feet of seventh floor of the new All
Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg
* 28 individual patient rooms, capable of caring for pediatric
cancer/blood disorder patients as well as those receiving blood or
marrow transplants.
* In-room accommodations for both parents to stay overnight with
their child, with a family respite area immediately adjacent to the
Center and a Ronald McDonald House (complete with kitchens, laundry,
computers and sleeping facilities) also within the new hospital.
* HEPA filtration positive pressure airflow system (allows
immuno-suppressed patients to move freely throughout the center rather
than being restricted to patient room)
* Double entrance doors to Center with scrub sinks in between to
maintain clean environment
* Adolescent playroom as well as separate play spaces for younger
patients
* Clinical pharmacists with expertise in anti-tumor therapies
* Dietitians with pediatric expertise
* Clinical Social Workers
* Child Life Therapists
* Pain Management Team support
* Patient Academic Services program
* A dedicated staff of nine pediatric hematologist/oncologists,
with access to the full resources of All Children’s Hospital including:
o Two Pediatric Intensive Care Units staffed by pediatric
critical care specialists
o Orthopedic oncologist specializing in malignancies of the
bone
o Pediatric Ophthalmologists with expertise in retinoblastoma
o Full range of pediatric subspecialty care
* Access to cutting-edge therapies through:
o Membership in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a
National Cancer Institute-supported cooperative that develops and
coordinates clinical trials at 240 + institutions including cancer
centers at major universities and teaching hospitals in the US, Canada,
Europe and Australia.
o Affiliation/partnership with H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center
and Research Institute/Tampa, which is jointly accredited with All
Children’s Hospital for its Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant
Program.

Members of the VL4AllKids Team

Erin Kisielewski and her 12-year old sister Lindsey. Erin is looking
forward to three big events this December. Of course, there’s
Christmas. And her tenth birthday is just one day later. But December
27th is the real milestone – five years since her final chemotherapy
treatment at All Children’s Hospital for leukemia.

Mary Lumapas and her 11-year old brother, Rio. Twelve-year old Mary has
been a patient in All Children’s pediatric cancer program more than
half of her life. Diagnosed with a type of kidney cancer when she was
five, she went through surgery and two years of chemotherapy before she
suffered a relapse and started the process all over again. But Mary has
taken it all in stride. During regular hospital admissions for chemo,
she mounted a successful patient petition drive to get ICEE machines
added to All Children’s cafeteria and patient food service line. She’s
also undertaken an e-mail fundraising drive that brought in over
$12-thousand for the 2007 All Children’s Hospital Telethon.

Willie Marshall, Jr. and his two-year old son Amarian. This
rambunctious toddler literally would not be here if it weren’t for the
expert care of All Children’s pediatric oncology program. Back when
his dad Willie was just a teenager, he broke his leg playing high
school football in Immokalee, FL. When the break didn’t heal, Willie
was diagnosed with bone cancer - so advanced that his leg could not be
saved. Experimental drug therapy at All Children’s saved Willie’s life.
And now he’s thankful for a “second miracle” – his son Amarian.

Peyton Mayhew, her 9-year old brother Nathaniel and 6-year old sister
Rachael. Most little girls don’t skip down the hall to see their
doctor. But Peyton is not your average little girl. This three-year-old
from Brandon spends at least one day a week at All Children’s Specialty
Care of Tampa, undergoing treatment for leukemia. One new item used in
her care is Virtual Reality Glasses; goggles and a headset that she
wears to watch movies whenever painful procedures are needed. Prior to
using the goggles, it would take 2-3 nurses to hold Peyton still for a
lumbar puncture - even after medication. Now the staff’s biggest
concern is picking a movie that won’t make Peyton giggle throughout the
entire procedure.

Brittany Najmy and her 10-year old brother Justin. Tomorrow – Oct. 17,
2007 – marks the one-year anniversary of Brittany’s diagnosis with
Hodgkins Lymphoma. The Lakewood Ranch high school senior manages to
find time between treatments to continue her studies and to find
creative ways to help the hospital that’s helping her. Brittany has
raised thousands of dollars through jewelry trunk shows which she’s
given to the hospital for purchase of equipment on the pediatric cancer
floor. She also was honored by her high school’s Student Government
Association, which elected to donate funds from a benefit dance to All
Children’s on her behalf.