President and First Lady Welcome Champion Children to White House In Celebration of Children's Hospitals

Foresters Champions Across America Recognizes Child from Each State Representing 14 Million Kids Nationwide Treated in 170 Children's Hospitals Affiliated with Children's Miracle Network

WASHINGTON, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will welcome 50 children -- one from each state -- and their families to The White House on Wednesday, April 4 to honor them as champions. Not champions of a sports team. But champions just the same. Each child has fought and won a personal battle with a disease, injury, or birth defect through treatment at one of the 170 non-profit children's hospitals affiliated with Children's Miracle Network. The Foresters Champions Across America program recognizes the children as representatives of the 14 million children treated in these hospitals each year.

The 50 children and their families will be accompanied by Marie Osmond, co-founder of Children's Miracle Network, and Miss America 2001 Angela Perez Baraquio, goodwill ambassador for the organization. In addition to visiting The White House and meeting with the President, the group will also lunch with Senators from their state and meet with Secretary Tommy Thompson of the Department of Health and Human Services to tell the important story of children's hospitals and encourage community support of these vitally important entities.

"Collectively, these kids have battled cancer, heart defects, organ transplants, muscular diseases, and life-threatening injuries," said Children's Miracle Network President and CEO, Mick Shannon. "They have shown tremendous perseverance, tenacity, and courage -- qualities of a champion. And the medical care they have received is among the finest in the world."

The program is sponsored by The Independent Order of Foresters, a million-member strong international fraternal benefit society which provides benefits and a range of financial products and services to its members. The organization has been making a difference in the lives of its members and their communities for more than 125 years through fund raising activities, local projects and helping others, especially children.

"These are some of the most remarkable young people I've ever met," said Michael White, president and CEO of Foresters. "As you learn of their courage and determination in facing serious challenges to their health and well being, you really come to appreciate just why we call them 'Champions.' Foresters are proud supporters of the important and admirable work of Children's Miracle Network because, as these Champions illustrate, miracles can and do happen when a community comes together to help children."

Following the events in Washington, the group will travel to Orlando, Fla. to help kickoff the $225 million fund raising campaign of Children's Miracle Network, which will culminate on June 2-3 with the "Children's Miracle Network Celebration" televised fund raiser. While in Orlando, Foresters will sponsor a breakfast of Champions, complete with Mickey Mouse and friends. They'll also present each Champion with a commemorative medal. The group will also spend time in Disney World theme parks and take in a concert with headliner entertainment.

While in Washington the Champions will attend a welcome reception at ESPN Zone where, in addition to watching every game on the air on a 16-foot video monitor, they'll also attempt to beat the pros in an interactive sports arena that features 10,000 square feet of exciting sports challenges and games. The Champions will utilize single-use cameras donated by Kodak to memorialize their travels, and Delta Air Lines will donate an airplane and flight crew to get the Champions and their families to Orlando.

To read the stories of the children and find out more about the Champions Across America program, visit www.cmn2001.org/programs.

About Children's Miracle Network

Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, Children's Miracle Network is an international non-profit organization dedicated to helping children by raising funds and awareness for 170 children's hospitals throughout North America. Each year these non-profit hospitals treat more than 14 million children afflicted with diseases, injuries and birth defects of every kind. For more information, visit them on the web at www.cmn.org.