3/21/2019
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation announced today a $1 million gift from Stephanie McMahon, WWE chief brand officer, and Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE executive vice president, Talent, Live Events & Creative, to establish a family centered MIBG Therapy Suite at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
MIBG (metaiodobenzylguanidine) is used to treat high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer of the nerve cells that spreads quickly, striking mostly children under the age of 5.
The newly constructed MIBG suite at UPMC Children’s includes highly sophisticated equipment and the ability to provide care without needing to transfer a patient out of the room, even if the patient requires critical care. In an adjacent room, a family member can comfortably stay to provide support and yet be protected from radiation exposure during the treatment.
UPMC Children’s has the only pediatric MIBG therapy suite in western Pennsylvania.
“MIBG is now at a point where it can offer true benefits to our patients with relapsed or unresponsive neuroblastoma,” said Linda McAllister-Lucas, M.D., Ph.D., chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, UPMC Children’s Hospital. “With this gift from Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque, we are now able to translate this therapy into life-saving clinical care.”
“Paul and I are extremely proud to support the cancer programs at Children’s to ensure all patients and their families have access to the best care available,” said Stephanie McMahon. “Our family’s passion is to end all childhood cancers, and in an attempt to accelerate that goal, we are investing in the MIBG Therapy Suite for kids at UPMC Children’s.”
“We want to celebrate Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s generous gift and the MIBG suite that they have made possible—a space that will be instrumental in advancing care and improving the patient experience for children with neuroblastoma and other rare pediatric cancers,” said Rachel Petrucelli, president, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation.
“As we help these kids achieve hope, or even just a few more precious moments with friends and family, we can share new knowledge and new hope for future patients,” added McAllister-Lucas.
Stephanie and Paul have been supporters of UPMC Children's for many years. They established Connor’s Cure, a fund in honor of 8-year-old WWE fan, Connor Michalek, who battled medulloblastoma—a rare tumor that affects the brain and spinal cord.
To date, Connor’s Cure has raised nearly $3 million and expanded its partnership with Children’s Foundation to gain an important ally—The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Today, through The V Foundation’s grant-making process, funds raised by WWE in support of Connor’s Cure help to fuel promising cancer research studies at leading medical facilities throughout the country.
Stephanie McMahon also is a member of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation Board of Trustees.