Road Atlanta, LLC Names Austin Hatcher Foundation as an Official Charity

Road Atlanta will be participating in and providing support for the Austin Hatcher Foundation’s annual fundraising and diversionary therapy events centered around Motorsports.  In the past these events have focused on the Petit Le Mans event and have included the Suzuki Motorcycle raffle, and the Petit Le Mans Charity Ride.  During these events families dealing with pediatric cancer are treated to VIP racing passes and the opportunity to leave life’s worries behind for a few hours.  “We’re proud to help with fundraising efforts for such an important cause which helps families in the most trying times and to use our top-notch motorsports event as a platform to raise awareness for pediatric cancer,”  said Geoff Lee, President of Road Atlanta. “It’s also nice to be able provide a brief escape for patients and their families with a day out at the races.  I would like to personally encourage our fans to contribute to the Austin Hatcher Foundation in any way possible and by making a  small donation when they purchase tickets to this year’s Petit Le Mans, Sept. 23-26.”

The Austin Hatcher Foundation was formed in 2006 after Amy Jo and Jim Osborn unexpectedly lost their infant son Hatch to a rare form of pediatric cancer just days after their 3rd Annual Pediatric Cancer Diversionary Therapy/Fundraising event held in conjunction with Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans.  “Road Atlanta’s staff has played a key role in our life and in the lives of many other families dealing with pediatric cancer.  Even before we lost our own son to cancer, Road Atlanta’s diversionary therapy events supported families that in some cases had limited time together,” said Jim Osborn. “This relationship with Road Atlanta will allow us to continue the tradition that started even before we founded the Austin Hatcher Foundation and will continue to serve so many families that normally could not afford the cost or time to enjoy such an event.”

Road Atlanta, a multipurpose motorsports facility, is recognized as one of the world's best race courses.  The facility not only hosts professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, but is also the site of the Skip Barber Racing School, as well as corporate programs and motor sports team testing.  The track is a 2.54 mile, 12-turn world class course which hosts 320,000 visitors yearly.

The Austin Hatcher Foundation’s mission is to support research towards the diagnosis, treatment and development of a cure for pediatric cancer, and to provide support and hope to children and families undergoing treatment as well as those who have lost children due to cancer.  The Foundation has developed a landmark group of programs and services essential to help cancer stricken children and their families function within their community.  Designed as a safe haven for families, Hatch’s House of Hope will connect them with these landmark services. 

The Hope House is a unique concept designed to keep the family unit whole when dealing with pediatric cancer.  Specifically, these services include IEP neurocognitive testing, educational programming to help effected children overcome their cognitive and learning deficits, emotional counseling for the cancer affected child, their siblings and parents, and marital and financial counseling to ensure a safe environment to maximize the family growth as a whole. Chattanooga, TN is the site of the first Hatch’s House of Hope, which will open September 18th, 2009.  For more information, visit www.hatcherfoundation.org. 

In an effort to help support children and families dealing with issues resulting from pediatric cancer, the American Le Mans Series has partnered with the Austin Hatcher Foundation as an official charity of the Series. Continuing in 2009, the Series and the Austin Hatcher Foundation are focused on raising $250,000 to benefit children and families dealing with pediatric cancer.

During the next five years, the American Le Mans Series will raise money and awareness for the Austin Hatcher Foundation through direct donations, Web and trackside merchandise sales, online race memorabilia, auctions, sales of limited-production American Le Mans Series/Austin Hatcher Foundation co-branded gear and through trackside diversionary therapy events centered around selected races.

“Just as the American Le Mans Series plays a role in the advancements of today’s road-going automobiles, the Austin Hatcher Foundation makes a difference in the lives of thousands of children and their parents each and every year,” said Series President and CEO Scott Atherton. “No one can truly grasp the impact of pediatric cancer on families, and helping them cope with such a devastating disease is a very worthy goal. That is why the American Le Mans Series is proud to stand alongside the Austin Hatcher Foundation. We are anxious to support the cause of helping to improve childhood cancer research and the outlook for an eventual cure.”

During each season, many of the world’s top sports car drivers will visit pediatric wards in various race markets nationwide to directly interact and support the children with pediatric cancer and their families.

The Austin Hatcher Foundation was founded by Dr. Jim Osborn and wife Amy Jo after the loss of their two-month-old son “Hatch” to a rare form of cancer.

“With the success rate of current treatment reaching 80 percent, much of the worldwide focus in pediatric cancer treatment is now on the long-term recovery from the negative effects the toxic treatments have on the children and their families,” Dr. Osborn said. “We are excited to partner with the American Le Mans Series in the establishment of landmark programs that will affect pediatric cancer care worldwide.”