Fox Chase Cancer Center Breaks Ground for New Playground

PHILADELPHIA (June 16, 2004) -- Creative Beginnings, the daycare program for children of Fox Chase Cancer Center employees, is getting a new playground thanks to the generosity of a special dad.

Ken Kucowski has led a three-year campaign to raise money for a new playground for Creative Beginnings at the Rockledge Community Center. The playground is Kucowski's way of honoring the memory of his wife, Mary, who died of cancer in 2001. Mary was a dedicated Fox Chase employee for 13 years. Their two children attended Creative Beginnings.

The Creative Beginnings children choir sang during a brief groundbreaking ceremony for the new playground. Those participating in the groundbreaking included Gary Weyhmuller, vice president of human resources at Fox Chase; Ken Kucowski; Judy Taylor, program director of Creative Beginnings; and Kucowski's daughters Charolotte, age 9, and Natalie, age 5.

Fox Chase Cancer Center was founded in 1904 in Philadelphia, Pa. as the nation's first cancer hospital. In 1974, Fox Chase became one of the first institutions designated as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center. Fox Chase conducts basic, clinical, population and translational research; programs of prevention, detection and treatment of cancer; and community outreach. For more information about Fox Chase activities, visit the Center's web site at www.fccc.edu.

For additional assistance, please call 1-888-FOX CHASE (1-888-369-2427).

Media inquiries only, please contact Karen Carter Mallet at 215-728-2700 or Colleen Kirsch at 215-728-7784.