The Larry King Cardiac Foundation

CNN Talk-Show Host Honored by the Clinic in Recognition of His Philanthropy

September 26th, 2005

CLEVELAND, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cleveland Clinic and The Larry King Cardiac Foundation are joining forces to heal hearts and save lives. The Clinic joins a select group of hospitals nationwide that provides The Larry King Cardiac Foundation patients with the latest in cardiac care. As a partner hospital to the CNN talk-show host's charitable foundation, the Clinic will work with the organization to identify and treat eligible patients. Once accepted into the program, the patients' heart procedures are paid for by The Larry King Cardiac Foundation.

The Larry King Cardiac Foundation provides cardiac care and resources through affiliate partners for individuals who, due to limited means and inadequate insurance, would otherwise be unable to receive treatment. "We are honored to team up with Larry King and his prestigious foundation," said Delos M. "Toby" Cosgrove, CEO and President of The Cleveland Clinic. "This collaboration is about saving lives, working to meet the needs of our community and fulfilling our mission as a not-for-profit academic medical center. We thank Larry King and his son, Larry King Jr., for this remarkable opportunity to make an even bigger difference in people's lives." Mr. King visited the Clinic on Friday, September 23, to address a crowd of more than 300 Clinic people who attended a daylong summit, "Envision: Innovations in Health Care Philanthropy," at the InterContinental Hotel and MBNA Conference Center Cleveland.

Chaired by Mrs. Norma Lerner, the summit drew leading philanthropists and government, business and foundation leaders from across the country to discuss philanthropy's growing role in health care. Among those in attendance were the Honorable Tommy Thompson, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and David Rockefeller Jr., Director and former Chair of Rockefeller and Co. Inc. During the summit, Mr. King was presented with The Cleveland Clinic Philanthropic Leadership Award in recognition of his philanthropic efforts and the profound positive changes they have made locally, nationally, and globally.

"Having The Cleveland Clinic as part of our network of partner hospitals for cardiac treatment is an important step for the Foundation. We are working with a world-renowned cardiovascular medical facility that has the same vision, to help those critically in need of cardiac care," said Larry King, founder of The Larry King Cardiac Foundation and host of CNN's Larry King Live.

The Larry King Cardiac Foundation was established in 1988 to provide funding for life-saving treatment for individuals who, due to limited means or inadequate insurance, would otherwise be unable to receive the treatment and care they so desperately need. The Foundation works in conjunction with hospitals throughout the nation to ensure that such patients receive proper medical attention. The most current information can be found on http://www.lkcf.org/.

In addition to The Cleveland Clinic, the Foundation's partner hospitals include: the Division of Cardiology at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; the Cedars-Sinai Heart Center in Los Angeles; the Center for Heart, Lung and Kidney Disease at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; the Division of Cardiology at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York; and The Venice Family Clinic in California.

The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center is the recognized world leader in diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The Cleveland Clinic has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for cardiac care by U.S. News and World Report every year since 1995.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for- profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. The Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News and World Report consistently names The Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Approximately 1,500 full-time salaried physicians at The Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2004, patients came for treatment from every state and 100 countries. The Cleveland Clinic website address is http://www.clevelandclinic.org/.