MEDIA ADVISORY:
Medical, dental and Ph.D. students to present Kentucky Derby Festival medals to pediatric cancer patients
WHO:
About 70 medical, dental and Ph.D. students, along with pediatric cancer patients and their families
WHAT:
After running the Kentucky Derby Festival MiniMarathon or Marathon, medical, dental and Ph.D. students will present their medals to children with cancer through the Medals4Mettle program.
“During the race, UofL students will be wearing a T-shirt that says ‘someone is in a tougher race than you’,” said Matthew Smith, UofL School of Medicine Medals4Mettle chapter organizer.
“The students participating in the race this Saturday are doing it ultimately to honor someone else,” he said.
Students are typically matched with a patient in early spring and reach out to try and develop a relationship in advance of the race.
Medals4Mettle was founded in 2005 by Dr. Steve Isenberg, an otolaryngologist in Indianapolis. Isenberg said he had just finished running the Chicago Marathon when he learned a patient of his, who also happened to be a close friend and fellow doctor, had been readmitted to the hospital severely ill. He went up to his room, with the medal in his pocket from the day before and put it around his friend’s neck.
UofL’s program began in 2008 as the first medical-school based Medals4Mettle program. It has continued to grow and serves as a model for other medical schools across the United States.
WHEN:
Saturday, April 27 at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Kosair Charities Clinical and Translational Research Building, 505 S. Hancock St.
*Ceremony will take place in the main lobby.
CONTACT:
Julie Heflin, 502-852-7987, julie.heflin@louisville.edu