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Washington, D.C. (4/3/2007) - Austin DeGroot, age 10, from De Pere, Wis., went to Washington, D.C. Wednesday, March 28, as Wisconsin's ambassador for Children's Miracle Network. He and other ambassadors met President Bush at the White House Thursday, March 29. Ambassadors and their families will visit Walt Disney World Saturday, March 31, to Thursday, April 5, and take part in the national television production of the Children's Miracle Network Celebration.
DeGroot received care at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee after he was diagnosed with cancer in January 2005. Children's Hospital is one of 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals throughout the United States and Canada.
DeGroot and other ambassadors have triumphed over challenges including cancer, muscular dystrophy, heart disease, cerebral palsy, birth defects and sickle cell anemia. When DeGroot lacked the energy to play sports due to the rigors of chemotherapy and surgery, he turned his attention to music. A gifted performer, he sang the National Anthem in front of more than 60,000 people at the Green Bay Packers Family Night scrimmages in 2005 and 2006. He also wrote and produced a CD entitled "Hold On."
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, founded in 1894, is recognized as one of the leading pediatric health care centers in the United States. It is included on Child magazine's 10 Best Children's Hospitals list. Children's Hospital is the only freestanding Level I Trauma Center in the region that cares exclusively for children and adolescents. The hospital has been designated a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a national honor that recognizes nursing excellence. Children's Hospital is the flagship member of Children's Hospital and Health System. Private, independent and not-for-profit, the hospital serves children and families from Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northern Illinois and beyond.
Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children's hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. To learn more, go to www.childrensmiraclenetwork.org.
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