January 27, 2008 - John Harkes and the Georgetown Cheerleaders join forces with other Superheroes to help the Hope for Henry Foundation

On Sunday, January 27, Superheroes of all ages gathered at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, MD. Some were familiar figures – Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, others included National Soccer Hall of Famer, John Harkes, members of the Georgetown University Cheerleading Squad and their mascot, Jack the Bulldog – while still others were dozens of area youngsters who are heroically battling life threatening diseases.

Bringing them all together was the Hope for Henry Foundation whose mission is to bring smiles to children who spend far too much time in the hospital. HFHF was named in memory of Henry Strongin Goldberg, who believed in the power of superheroes during his seven year long fight against Fanconi anemia, a rare genetic disorder, and who wore his Batman costume to his own bone marrow transplant.

“Superheroes like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman represent unimaginable power and the promise that good will ultimately triumph,” said Laurie Strongin, President and Founder of Hope for Henry. “For kids with life-threatening illnesses these are particularly potent concepts. Superheroes represent the prospect of a world away from their hospital rooms — a world where they can win the battle over their illnesses, and create a life that better fits their dreams. Hope for Henry brings superheroes to these kids who need them most,” she added.

Athletes for Hope arranged for John Harkes as well as the Georgetown Hoyas Cheerleaders and Jack the Bulldog to join Hope for Henry at the event. “Hope for Henry serves a very important purpose in the lives of kids with life-threatening illnesses, and we are proud to work with them,” Athletes for Hope CEO Ivan Blumberg said. “By joining forces, Hope for Henry and Athletes for Hope can have an exponentially more powerful impact in enriching these children’s lives.”

John Harkes joined Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman in greeting dozens of children and families from Georgetown University Hospital in a private event held early in the afternoon. They took photos, signed autographs and handed out superhero action figures, DVDs, comic books (and everything else superhero). The young superhero kids were bedecked with capes, and covered with temporary tattoos, and their faces were lit up with smiles, as they enjoyed their escape from the hospital.

Just as the families from Georgetown Hospital were leaving, more than 400 Hope for Henry supporters from the Washington, DC area and around the country filled AFI's historic theatre. Kenny Curtis, host of XM Satellite Radio's XMKiDS Morning Zoo, was the Master of Ceremonies and the kids rocked out to the band, Milkshake. The Hoya Cheerleaders joined Milkshake on stage to get the crowd going and cheer on the kids. The miniature super heroes danced with the Cheerleaders to songs like the “Love Train,” “Bam Bam Shimmy Shimmy” and the “Counting Song” while Jack the Bulldog tried his best to use his four “fingered” paw to count up to five.

About Hope for Henry
The Hope for Henry Foundation is a national 501c3 that was established in 2003 to honor the legacy of Henry Strongin Goldberg, who died at the age of seven from Fanconi anemia, a rare, fatal genetic disease. During his short life, Henry taught his family, friends, doctors, and all who came in contact with him how to live well and laugh hard – even as he battled a terrible disease. The Foundation that bears his name provides gifts of high-end, portable consumer electronics and other well-chosen gifts and programs to children undergoing treatment for life-threatening illnesses.

At the moment the Foundation partners with Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey and University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview in Minneapolis, but has plans to expand to more hospitals and more children in the near future.

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