CHOC Children's

AHOY! YOUNG PIRATES TO SAIL HIGH SEAS WITH MINNIE MOUSE IN A “MINNIE” VERSION OF THE CHOC/DISNEYLAND RESORT “WALK IN THE PARK”
September 20, 2006

WHAT: Pirates young and old at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) will soon embark on a magical voyage to kick off the 16th Annual CHOC/Disneyland Resort “Walk in the Park.” CHOC will be transformed into a make-believe world of "good" pirates sailing the high seas as Mickey and Minnie Mouse lead patients in a miniature, or “Minnie,” version of CHOC’s largest fundraiser. Patients will don pirate mouse ears and travel through the hospital’s underground “tunnel” on foot, in wagons, and with IV poles, as crowds of family members, Disneyland Resort executives and VoluntEARS, CHOC staff and CHOC’s “pet therapy” dogs cheer them on. CHOC employees will also dress-up and create their own pirate ship to accent the walls and promote the children’s fantasies. “Pirate speak” will also be heard as employees cheer on the little mateys as they sail pass!

While many of CHOC’s young patients’ families and friends participate in the annual CHOC/Disneyland Resort “Walk in the Park,” scheduled this year on Sunday, October 8, the patients themselves are unable to participate in the event because they must remain in the hospital, or have health issues that prevent them from participating. The Minnie Walk provides patients with the opportunity to enjoy the fun of CHOC’s largest fundraiser in their own unique way.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 20, 2005 Minnie Walk begins promptly at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Children’s Hospital of Orange County 455 South Main Street Orange, California

Media will be greeted in hospital lobby. Parking is available in adjacent parking structure.

About CHOC Children's: Named one of the best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report (2012-2013), CHOC Children's is exclusively committed to the health and well-being of children through clinical expertise, advocacy, outreach and research that brings advanced treatment to pediatric patients. Affiliated with the University of California, Irvine, CHOC’s regional healthcare network includes two state-of-the-art hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo, several primary and specialty care clinics, a pediatric residency program, and four centers of excellence - The CHOC Children’s Heart, Neuroscience, Orthopaedic and Hyundai Cancer Institutes.

CHOC earned the Gold Level CAPE Award from the California Council of Excellence, the only children’s hospital in California to ever earn this distinction, and was awarded Magnet designation, the highest honor bestowed to hospitals for nursing excellence.  Recognized for extraordinary commitment to high-quality critical care standards, CHOC’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is the first in the United States to earn the Pediatric Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence.

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Media Contact:
Abigail Knief, Public Relations Coordinator
phone: (714) 532-8812
email: aknief@choc.org