FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2008

(BUFFALO, NY) Buffalo Sabres hockey all-star Ryan Miller and Carly’s Club kicked off another season of Saves for Cancer, a partnership between Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Miller’s Steadfast Foundation and several local companies. Saves for Cancer helps ensure pediatric cancer patients and their families have the emotional and psychological support needed to fight cancer and maintain positive outlooks throughout their cancer battles.

Every time Miller makes a save during the 2008-2009 hockey season, business partners West-Herr Automotive Group, Phillips & Burns, LLC, and Schmidt’s Collision and Glass will make a donation to Carly’s Club at Roswell Park. Entercom Radio will provide media support for Saves for Cancer through its stations WGR-550, WBEN, Kiss 98.5 and Star 102.5.

“The support that Ryan and the Steadfast Foundation provide for our pediatric patients is incredibly valuable to their overall well-being,” said Martin L. Brecher, MD, the Waldemar J. Kaminski Chair in Pediatrics at Roswell Park. “Whether it is donating laptops to help children communicate with family and friends, providing support programs or just spending time with patients one-on-one—Ryan’s commitment gives these children a much-needed boost during the difficulty of cancer treatments.”

Miller founded the Steadfast Foundation in 2006, during his young cousin Matt Shoal’s battle with leukemia. Matt passed away in 2007 in the family’s hometown of Lansing, Michigan. 
 
“Dealing with cancer is extremely difficult on these kids and their families," said Miller. "Carly's Club is there to handle the emotional and social aspects of this tough time. That's why it is so important to ensure these programs continue to be there for the families that need them.”

Last year’s Saves for Cancer raised more than $30,000 for Carly’s Club programs, which include group outings and special events to help children and families escape the rigors of treatment and connect with other families; social work and school intervention assistance to help children succeed in classes during and after treatment; the annual Cancer in the Classroom program for families and educators; and support programs run in the Pediatric Center at Roswell Park for inpatients (e.g. new patient comfort blankets and bags, mentoring, laptops, patient milestone parties, etc.).

Carly's Club for Kids & Cancer Research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute offers support programs to make life more manageable for children diagnosed with cancer and their families, and raises funds for pediatric cancer research seeking cures. Carly's Club is managed by the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Currently over 260 pediatric cancer patients and their families are served each year through Carly's Club programming. For more information, visit www.carlysclub.org or call 716-845-8788.

The Steadfast Foundation, formed by Ryan Miller in 2006, is a non-profit corporation with a mission to assist those afflicted and affected by the consequences of cancer, and especially childhood forms of the disease. The goal of The Steadfast Foundation is to help provide patients and their families with support to improve their circumstances and attitude and give them the best environment and a better ability to battle the disease. For more information, visit www.thesteadfastfoundation.com.

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