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Triple Winner Campaign Means Big Win for Kids with Cancer - 03/10/2008

Triple Winner Campaign Means Big Win for Kids with Cancer

Release Date: March 10, 2008

Second-grader Gavin loves to collect and study rocks and minerals. He hopes to be a geologist one day. Six-year-old Aaliyah loves to dance and sing along to her favorite Beyonce songs. Michael is in fourth grade and enjoys playing video games but hopes to soon get back to playing his favorite sports, football and basketball. And 10-year-old Justin dreams of becoming a left-handed pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.

It is for these children and the many others battling cancer that local Giant Food stores kicked off their fourth year of the Triple Winner Program, pledging $1 million to pediatric cancer research at the Kimmel Cancer Center and $500,000 to the Children’s Cancer Foundation. The Baltimore Orioles helped launch the campaign on March 13, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, along with Donald Small, acting director of pediatric oncology, and Shirley Howard, president of the Children’s Cancer Foundation. The campaign was so successful that by June 9, a month earlier than anticipated, Giant announced that it had already reached its $1.5 million goal.

“Through Triple Winner, it has been our mission to eradicate childhood cancer,” says Robin Michel, executive vice president and general manager of Giant Food.  “Because of this program our associates, customers and suppliers have raised more than $47 million to date to directly support cancer research and care for children.”
 
The Triple Winner Game is a scratch-card promotion. For a $1 dollar donation, customers receive a ticket to instantly win a free product, a gift card or a cash prize of up to $10,000. All proceeds benefit childhood cancer research.
 
During the kick-off, Small announced that funds will be used to establish the Giant Food Pediatric Leukemia and Tumor Program at Johns Hopkins.

“This new program will allow us to significantly expand our research work in bone and soft tissue sarcomas, brain tumors, bone marrow transplantation and leukemia,” he said. “As federal funds tighten, private donations like these make it possible for us to continue our mission of finding the causes of and cures for childhood cancers.”

The campaign will run in Giant Stores throughout Maryland from April 11 through July 10, 2008.