WWE Executives Donate $1 Million To Children's Hospital For One-Of-A-Kind Treatment Room
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday afternoon at UPMC Children's Hospital to commemorate a $1 million donation from WWE Chief Branding Officer Stephanie McMahon and Executive Vice President Paul "Triple H" Levesque.
"In 2014, Stephanie and Paul established Connor's Cure, this is a fund dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer through supporting research," said Dr. Linda McAllister, Chief of Science, Hematology & Oncology. "Connor's Cure has raised more than $3 million to date."
The gift is being made to establish a family-centered MIBG Therapy Suite at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which will become the only of its kind in Western Pennsylvania.
"A lot of people said thank you today, I'd ask rather than say thank you, spread the word," said Paul. "What we did was not for thanks it was to get the word out. Everybody has to understand what is needed to make this change. Like the doctors said, we won't stop until it's 100% [cured]."
MIBG (metaiodobenzylguanidine) is used to treat high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer of the nerve cells that spreads quickly, found mostly in children under age 5.
"No child should ever get cancer," said McMahon. "And there are so many kids who need so many different types of treatment and aren't getting it."
WATCH: News Conference At Children's Hospital --
"This all started when we met Connor Michalek," said Stephanie. "After Connor lost his fight, Paul and I knew we had to do something and it started right here at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh."
The new suite will include highly sophisticated equipment and the ability to provide care without needing to transfer a patient out of the room, even if critical care is required. An adjacent room will also be constructed in order for family members to be able to provide support, but be protected from radiation exposure during treatment.
