WASHINGTON, April 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Larry King Cardiac Foundation (LKCF) is proud to announce the St. Jude Medical Foundation as the presenting sponsor for its annual fundraising gala in Washington, D.C. "An Evening with Larry King and Friends" will be held on Saturday, June 9, 2007, at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.
The St. Jude Medical Foundation's donation will allow all proceeds raised during the gala to directly benefit LKCF patients in need of cardiac care and will bring LKCF one step closer to its goal to Save a Heart a Day. This is the second year that the St. Jude Medical Foundation has underwritten the fundraising gala, which in 2006 raised $1.5 million for patient care.
"As the presenting sponsor, the St. Jude Medical Foundation is an invaluable partner in helping us treat cardiac patients," says Larry King, Jr., president of LKCF. "Because of their support, all funds raised from our June 9 gala will go directly to providing more cardiac procedures and ultimately saving more lives."
"We share a common commitment with The Larry King Cardiac Foundation to identify and help treat critical care cardiac patients," said Daniel J. Starks, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Jude Medical Inc., the sole benefactor of the St. Jude Medical Foundation. "We are proud to work together to advance these important goals through the funding of the St. Jude Medical Foundation to support LKCF patients in need of cardiac care."
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America: 452,000 people a year die from this disease. Heart disease is also the No. 1 killer of women in America. Approximately 46 million Americans lack health insurance coverage for one year or more and more than 10 million Americans will go without health coverage for a short period of time over the course of a year. More than half of those who are uninsured are low-income; an estimated 8.5 million are children and about 16 million are women.
Individuals who support LKCF and have been honored in previous years include: Jonathan Tisch, President, Loews Corp.; Frederick Smith, Chairman, President and CEO of FedEx Corp., August Busch IV, President of Anheuser-Busch, Inc., J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, Inc; Tim Donahue, Executive Chairman, Sprint Nextel Corp.; and Joseph E. Robert Jr., Chairman and CEO of J.E. Robert Companies.
Performers who have donated their time to entertain at the D.C. gala in support of the treatment efforts provided by LKCF have included: Tim McGraw, Patti LaBelle, Wayne Brady, Lewis Black, Celine Dion, James Brown, Bill Maher, Stevie Wonder, Wynonna Judd, Vanessa Williams and Shania Twain.
About The Larry King Cardiac Foundation
LKCF provides funding for life-saving cardiac procedures for individuals who, due to limited means or no insurance, otherwise would be unable to receive life-saving treatment. The Foundation works in conjunction with major medical centers throughout the nation to ensure that such patients receive much-needed medical attention. For more information, please visit www.lkcf.org .
The Larry King Cardiac Foundation logo can be found at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=558
About The St. Jude Medical Foundation
The St. Jude Medical Foundation (www.sjmfoundation.com) is dedicated to improving awareness and treatment of cardiovascular, neurological and chronic pain conditions. The Foundation's grant programs are focused in three areas: health awareness; advancing the state of medical knowledge through education, research and training; and supporting communities in need.