(November 20, 2013) – It’s that time of year to once again lace up those skates for the 17th Annual Rady Children’s Hospital’s Fantasy on Ice, presented by Sycuan. The rink opens on November 21 at 5 p.m. at Horton Square. Former cancer patient Jaydon Barletti will help kick-off the opening night celebration with the official countdown to start the season. Four-year-old Jaydon battled a rare and aggressive cancer in his kidney known as Clear Cell Sarcoma. The Oceanside boy has since recovered and has been cancer-free for more than a year.
Last year, Fantasy on Ice helped raise more than $130,000 for the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady Children’s. The Peckham Center is the largest pediatric hematology/oncology program serving San Diego, Imperial and Riverside counties and is the only facility in San Diego County for pediatric bone marrow transplants.
For the third year, the Center has been ranked among the nation’s best pediatric cancer program by U.S. News & World Report. Every year, nearly 200 children are diagnosed with cancer and almost 400 children receive treatment at the Center.
The rink hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, through the holidays and will remain open until January 5, 2014 but will be closed on Christmas Day. Admission, which includes the rental of the skates, is $14 for adults and $12 for children under 12. Season tickets with unlimited access are also available for $35.
This year’s sponsors include: Sycuan band of Kumeyaay Nation, NBC 7 San Diego, The Irvine Company Office Properties, L L Printers, SPIRE Construction, SENTRE Partners, Quick-Dry Flood Services Walmart, and Westin Gaslamp Quarter Hotel.
For additional information about Fantasy on Ice visit: fantasyonicesd.com.
About Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego:
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego is a 475-bed pediatric care facility providing the largest source of comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, Southern Riverside and Imperial counties. Rady Children’s is the only hospital in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare and is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. In June 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rady Children’s among the best children’s hospitals in the nation in all ten pediatric specialties the magazine surveyed. For more information, visit www.rchsd.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube.