Filed Under: [ Hispanic News ] [ Press Releases ]
Tags: children, family, Univision
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“Cingular Wireless joined forces with PADRES Contra El Cáncer to host a bone marrow drive to find a donor for Christopher Garcia, a five-year-old boy who has battled leukemia since 2003.
The bone marrow drive, held at the recently opened Cingular Wireless store in Huntington Park, was the most successful bone marrow event ever held by PADRES, and added more than 200 new Latino donors to the National Bone Marrow Registry. The event was held Friday, December 8 from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon and was televised live by Univision 34 KMEX-TV/Channel 34, Los Angeles. Univision’s Primera Edición anchor Francisco Pinto was joined by actor Cristian De La Fuente, Huntington Park Mayor Juan R. Noguez, Cingular employees and hundreds of community members.
“When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it affects their entire family and the communities in which they live,” said Elvia Barboa, CEO of PADRES Contra El Cáncer. “Our unique partnership with Cingular Wireless and Univision 34 KMEX-TV provides a powerful platform from which to reach out and engage the public and give the families we serve hope.”
Cancer strikes approximately 1,500 children in California annually and nearly 50 percent of them are Latino. Cancer remains the leading cause of death among children under 15 years old, second only to accidents in most age groups.
The bone marrow drive was part of a six-week effort to collect donations for PADRES’ programs at Cingular Wireless retail stores, educate the community about childhood cancer and motivate Latinos to donate bone marrow. The campaign is a partnership between PADRES, Cingular Wireless, Univision 34 KMEX-TV and Unified Western Grocers.
“We are proud to participate in such a show of caring and support for the PADRES kids and their families,” said Andy Shibley, VP/GM of Cingular’s Los Angeles Region. “This is the type of community involvement we want members of the Latino community to associate with Cingular and its employees.”
Although most children who require blood transfusions at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are Hispanic, only 5 percent of the donors are Latino. Christopher’s chances of finding a donor within the Latino community are significantly higher than they are from the general pool of donors. “
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