On Sunday, June 7, 9-year-old Caden Capitani of Hershey will board a Delta Air Lines flight to Atlanta, Georgia, to kick off the first leg of his Champions Ambassador Tour for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Caden, a Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital patient, will join 52 other “Champion” children who have personally benefited from donations to the charity and exemplify how vital community support is for local children’s hospitals.
Caden was selected to represent the state of Pennsylvania for bravely facing his medical challenges. His story illustrates the impact of local donations to Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. Caden has been a patient at the Children’s Hospital since before he was born. He had a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, faces 16 ailments and continues to receive outpatient care at the Children’s Hospital. The Child Life and Family Centered Care teams, both funded by CMN Hospitals, have been integral in providing Caden and his family developmental, educational and therapeutic support as he grows. View Caden’s story.
“We’re at the hospital at least once a week, and that’s when he’s healthy. He has been treated from head to broken toe,” said Jessica Capitani, Caden’s mother. “We are looking forward to representing this community that’s meant so much to us. This hospital is really part of our family.” Follow the Capitanis’ journey on Jessica’s blog.
The 2015-16 Champions program is presented by Delta Air Lines, Marriott International and Chico’s FAS, Inc. On June 7, 53 Champions and their guests will gather in Atlanta, Delta’s headquarters and largest hub. In addition to sharing their stories with Atlanta-based media, the ambassadors will be welcomed at a special event at the Delta Flight Museum where they will thank Delta employees for their continued support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
A private Delta-chartered flight will then transport the group to the nation’s capital, where employees of Marriott, CMN Hospitals’ longest-standing corporate partner, will welcome them. Chico’s FAS, Inc. also will provide gifts for the Champions, moms and caregivers upon their arrival. While in Washington, D.C., Champions will meet with representatives on Capitol Hill, participate in a satellite media tour and continue to raise awareness for the charitable needs of children’s hospitals.
As the National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev will accompany the Champions and participate with them in media opportunities. Actress Zendaya Coleman, from Disney’s “KC Undercover,” will also be joining a portion of the Ambassador Tour.
The 2015-16 Champions will reunite in February 2016 for the final leg of their Ambassador Tour. This will take place in Orlando, Florida, at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals’ annual Momentum event, where the charity’s 170 hospital partners gather with corporate and media partners. Through additional speaking engagements, appearances and media interviews, the Champions will complete their year of service by thanking and inspiring those who support the children’s hospitals they depend on. More information, including a short video of last year’s Ambassador Tour, is available at CMNHospitals.org/Champions.