Oct. 24, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford, UAB and UAH softball players are teaming up to help Children's Hospital fight childhood cancer. The third-annual "Knockin' Cancer Out of the Ballpark" softball tournament will be held Saturday at Samford's Bulldog Field.

The first pitches will be thrown by some of Children's Hospital patients at 11 a.m.

The tournament will begin with Samford vs. UAH at 11 a.m.; followed by UAH vs. UAB at 12:15 p.m. The last game will be Samford vs. UAB at 1:30 p.m. A Fun Zone featuring games and activities, Hand-In-Paw, and the Children's Hospital Clown Troop will be performing at the event. The Fun Zone will open at 10 a.m.

All proceeds from this event will be donated to the UAB Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Research Program at Children's Hospital in Birmingham. Donations will be accepted at the entrance to the game and there will also be tee-shirts for sale. Last season's game raised over $40,000.

The Children's Hospital of Alabama is the 10th busiest pediatric medical center in the United States. The UAB Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Children's Hospital is Alabama's single largest provider of specialized pediatric services for all forms of cancer, leukemia, brain and spinal cord tumors, hemophilia and other bleeding disorders and sickle cell diseases.

It is also home to the Lowder Bone Marrow Transplant program, the only pediatric bone marrow transplant program in the state. Ninety-five percent of the children in Alabama diagnosed with childhood cancer and other blood disorders are treated by the UAB Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Children's Hospital.