Proceeds Benefit Life-Saving Treatments Pioneered at the Cardiac Center
Philadelphia, PA (November 8, 2016) – The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and WPT Foundation™ “All In” for Kids Poker Tournament took place on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016, at the Mandarin Oriental New York, raising more than $765,000 for the Cardiac Center at CHOP.
The annual, award-winning tournament is the largest charity poker tournament benefiting a major U.S. children’s hospital. Sponsored by The Kibel Foundation and emceed by poker legend Phil Hellmuth, this year’s event brought together more than 280 guests, including CEOs, celebrities, athletes, World Poker Tour® professionals, CHOP donors, and patient families, for an evening of fun and excitement to raise funds for children with heart conditions.
“We are proud to once again partner with the WPT Foundation on this important and exciting event,” said Madeline Bell, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “We are especially grateful to our friends at The Kibel Foundation for their support, and to the physicians and staff in CHOP’s Cardiac Center, who have revolutionized the way children with heart conditions are cared for both in our local communities and around the world.”
“All children deserve a future as free from the roadblocks to their dreams as possible, and the importance of helping those in need to have the resources to battle the health challenges they face cannot be emphasized enough,” said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour. “WPT Foundation is honored to support Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as it continues to provide life-changing healthcare to children through more than 150 years of extraordinary service. Together over the past four years we have raised more than $3 million.”
Returning for its ninth year, the “All In” for Kids Poker Tournament was co-founded in 2008 by Daniel Shak and Beth Shak. In attendance at this year’s event were Steve Lipscomb, founder of the World Poker Tour, along with professional poker players Victor Ramdin, Vanessa Selbst, Jonathan Little, and WPT Player of the Year Andy Frankenberger.
Parts of the event were filmed for the WPT television broadcast airing on FOX Sports. With this latest event, WPT Foundation has helped more than two dozen non-profit programs of excellence raise more than $7 million.
This year’s featured event beneficiary is the Cardiac Center at CHOP, an internationally renowned facility that provides top-rated cardiac care from before birth through adulthood. Handling more than 30,000 outpatient visits and 1,800 inpatient admissions annually, the Cardiac Center features one of the largest and most accomplished medical teams in the world, with each member specially trained to care for children and with congenital and acquired heart conditions.
Past beneficiaries include CHOP’s Center for Autism Research and Care, the Center for Childhood Cancer Research, the Division of Neurosurgery, the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, the Palliative Care Program, and Food Allergy Research.
Visit http://www.allinforkids.org for more information.
WPT Media Contact
Donnie Peters (949-225-2609) – [email protected]
CHOP Media Contact
Emily DiTomo (267-426-6063) – [email protected]
About the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation’s first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program receives the highest amount of National Institutes of Health funding among all U.S. children’s hospitals. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 535-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu/.
About World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour (WPT) is the premier name in internationally televised gaming and entertainment with brand presence in land-based tournaments, television, online, and mobile. Leading innovation in the sport of poker since 2002, WPT ignited the global poker boom with the creation of a unique television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments. WPT has broadcast globally in more than 150 countries and territories, and is currently producing its 15th season, which airs on FOX Sports Regional Networks in the United States. Season XV of WPT is sponsored by ClubWPT.com and PlayWPT.com. ClubWPT.com is a unique online membership site that offers inside access to the WPT, as well as a sweepstakes-based poker club available in 35 states across the United States. PlayWPT.com is a social gaming platform offering free-to-play poker and slots with innovative features and state-of-the-art creative elements inspired by WPT’s 15 years of experience in gaming entertainment. WPT also participates in strategic brand license, partnership, and sponsorship opportunities. WPT Enterprises Inc. is a subsidiary of Ourgame International Holdings, Ltd. For more information, go to www.WPT.com.
©2016 WPT Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.
WPT, World Poker Tour and Spade Card Design are registered trademarks of WPT Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.