Brenner Children?s Hospital Named Founding Hospital of Petty?s Victory Junction Gang Camp

November 7, 2002

RANDLEMAN, NC -- Brenner Children’s Hospital of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has been named a founding hospital of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Victory Junction was founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their late son, Adam, and will serve children from the Carolinas and Virginia. The camp, which is scheduled to open in June of 2004, will provide sessions year-round to children, ages seven to 15, with life-threatening illnesses.

“We are thrilled with the announcement that Brenner Children’s Hospital has become one of the camp’s founding hospitals,” Kyle Petty said. “We are bringing the best of the best together to serve our children from this area.”

Victory Junction Gang Camp will have a racing theme that allows campers to begin their experience by entering the camp thorough a tunnel and crossing a starting line into the world of racing. When complete, Victory Junction’s 75-acre site will have more than 36 buildings -- including a dining hall, gym, pool, theater, therapeutic equestrian center, arts and crafts center, race shop, and cabins.

“Brenner Children’s Hospital will play a key role in the medical program at Victory Junction. In addition to referring children with chronic illness from North Carolina and southern Virginia, Brenner physicians and nurses will staff Victory Junction’s medical center,” said Ticia Myers, M.D. Victory Junction’s medical director. “Brenner staff will also serve as members of the medical planning committees and provide assistance in equipping the medical center.”

Jon S. Abramson, M.D., chairman of Pediatrics at Brenner Children’s Hospital, has been involved in the planning process and currently serves on the Victory Junction Board of Directors.

“We are pleased that we will be able to offer children from this region a unique camp for respite and fun,” Abramson said. “The Pettys have shown an active interest in children for many years and this camp solidifies their willingness to help kids with chronic illnesses meet and make friends with other children who are facing the same challenges.”

The Victory Junction Gang Camp, a proud charity of NASCAR, will be free to children and their families.

Founded in 1986, Brenner Children’s Hospital treats critically ill children from western North Carolina, as well as parts of Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. A part of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Brenner Children’s Hospital treats young patients from birth to age 18.

Over 4,500 children are admitted to Brenner Children’s Hospital each year. In addition, more than 21,000 pediatric subspecialty visits occur annually at the hospital-based outpatient clinics. Children admitted to the children’s hospital suffer from a variety of serious conditions such as leukemia and congenial heart defects.

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Media Contact: Rae Beasley, (336) 716-6878, rabeasle@wfubmc.edu; Karen Richardson, (336) 716-4453, krchrdsn@wfubmc.edu; or Barbara Hahn (336) 716-6877, bhahn@wfubmc.edu.

Media Relations