Ready to Release the Superhero Inside You?

Inside each of us is a Superhero ready to spring into action. On Saturday, May 19^th Loyola University Health System (LUHS) will provide superhero training at Spring Into Action, its annual benefit. The fun and lively event will be held at the Loyola Center for Health at Burr Ridge, 600 North Frontage Road. Participants can show their “super” side by supporting the event, which will help raise money to renovate LUHS’s inpatient oncology-treatment facility.

The Spring Into Action Benefit will feature Scott Hamilton, the well-known men’s figure skating Olympic gold medalist who showed extraordinary powers on the ice. His heroism and strength also shined through as he bravely battled cancer and came out victorious.

While sipping on Kryptonite cocktails and striking heroic poses for photos, attendees also will learn about Loyola’s internationally renowned cancer program. Loyola’s multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer brings together a wide range of board-certified medical experts who evaluate a patient’s condition and provide a comprehensive treatment plan, often on the first visit.

 “Doctors, nurses and staff across our health system are compassionate heroes fighting for our patients,” said Larry Goldberg, president and CEO of Loyola University Health System. “Nowhere is this more evident than with our oncology team. They are a force that is bringing hope and healing to our patients, our superheroes, giving them the tools and support they need to battle cancer.”

The event also will include a live auction, lavish treats, a complementary bar, and a hero-in-training program. Tickets are $250 per person or $5,000 for a sponsorship level which includes four tickets to the event, priority seating for the program and special recognition at the event.

To purchase tickets online, visit loyolamedicine.org/heroes or call (708) 216-8531.

For media inquires, please contact Evie Polsley at epolsley@lumc.edu or call (708) 216-5313 or (708) 417-5100.

About Scott Hamilton:

Born in 1958 and adopted by Ernest and Dorothy Hamilton, Scott contracted a mysterious illness at about the age of 2 that cause him to stop growing. For the next six years the doctors prescribed a variety of unsuccessful treatments. He was taken to Boston’s Children’s Hospital where his ailment began to correct itself.

He decided to try skating after watching his older sister, Susan. From the beginning, Scott skated with confidence and uncommon speed. His illness disappeared and he began to grow again. At 13, he left home to train for national competitions. His mother went back to school and became a college professor to help finance his training, even as she was undergoing cancer treatment. When she died, Scott resolved to become a world champion.

By 1980, Scott had captured third place in national competition and won a place on the U.S. Olympic squad. In 1981 he won National and World Championship titles and won every national and world competition for the next four years, capping his career with a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

Frustrated by the lack of opportunities for male skaters, Hamilton created his own ice revue, which evolved into the well-known touring show, Stars on Ice.

In 1997, Scott’s life and career were again threatened by illness. But after successful surgery for cancer, he was back on the ice within a few months. He and his wife, Tracie, make their home in Nashville and have two sons, Aidan and Maxx.