WHAT:
Lauren Cheney of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Visits with Patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Cheney, treated for a congenital heart defect as a child, visits with cardiac patients at the hospital
WHEN:
Friday, September 9, 2011
8:30 a.m. – media opportunity
WHERE:
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Outpatient Care Center (OCC)
555 S. 18th Street
Columbus, OH 43205
*A media relations rep will meet you at this entrance for escort; parking available in the visitors parking garage located near the OCC entrance at the corner of S. 18th St. and Mooberry Dr.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
On Friday, Septmber 9, Lauren Cheney, 23, member of the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team, a forward on the Women’s Professional Soccer league Boston Breakers and a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, will meet and greet cardiac patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Cheney, a native of Indianapolis, Ind., was born with a type of congenital heart defect – atrial septal defect (ASD) – a hole between the two atrial chambers of the heart. She required open heart surgery at the age of 3 to correct this condition. Today, she’s a world-class athlete and a testament to what’s possible when living with congenital heart disease.
Cheney scored the first goal for the U.S. team in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup against North Korea on June 28, 2011, and assisted on the winning goal in the semi-final against France on July 13, 2011.
Roughly 36,000 children are born each year with a congenital heart defect, the most common birth defect. About 1.3 million Americans with congenital cardiovascular defects are alive today thanks to the advances in research and treatment. The type of open-heart surgery used to correct Cheney’s ASD 20 years ago is now rarely used. Due to pioneering work, most ASDs are now closed by non-invasive catheter-based interventions.
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CONTACT:
Mary Ellen Peacock
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Media Relations
(614) 355-0495
Cell: (614) 937-7316
Media Advisory: Lauren Cheney of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team Visits with Patients at Nationwide Children's Hospital
September 8, 2011
About Nationwide Children's Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 14,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.7 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.