California’s Great America, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, will host the 30th annual Courageous Kids at the amusement park on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event invites hundreds of children battling cancer and their families to the park for a free day of fun, including a special picnic and programming just for event attendees. Since the event was first held at Great America in 1989, the park has welcomed tens of thousands of deserving children to the park for a “day away from cancer.”
The guests of honor and their families will be treated to lunch, arts and crafts, family portraits, photographs with local celebrities, an obstacle course and other family-friendly activities in the Picnic Grove. These special guests will then head into the amusement park for an afternoon of rides, shows and games. Attendees are invited to participate, free of charge, through their local treatment centers.
“Our 30-year partnership with the American Cancer Society and the Courageous Kids event is close to the hearts of all park employees,” said California’s Great America General Manager Manny Gonzalez. “We look forward to welcoming approximately 2,500 of these very special guests to make memories at California’s Great America this Mother’s Day.”
“A diagnosis of childhood cancer affects the entire family,” said Jeff Klaas, executive vice president for the American Cancer Society’s West Region. “Events like this allow children and their caregivers to see others like them surviving. The day represents the Society’s commitment to helping patients of all ages, while adding to our work in pediatric cancer research and the free cancer information we provide families.”
To learn more about California’s Great America, purchase Season Passes or check operating hours, visit www.cagreatamerica.com.
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of two million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the ACS efforts have contributed to a 25 percent decline in the cancer death rate in the U.S. since 1991, driven by less smoking, better treatments, and earlier detection. As the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, they have invested more than $4.5 billion to ensure people facing cancer have the help they need. To learn more about ACS or to get help, call any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
California’s Great America is a 100-acre theme and water park located in Santa Clara, Calif. As Northern California’s premier amusement park, featuring thrill rides, live entertainment, and the Boomerang Bay water park, California’s Great America is a top destination for thrill-seekers and families alike.
