'Sharing Miracles' Television Program to Feature Former Phillies Slugger, Fan Favorite John Kruk

'Sharing Miracles' Television Program to Feature Former Phillies Slugger, Fan Favorite John Kruk

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three-time Major League Baseball All-Star John Kruk will be featured on this month's episode of Sharing Miracles - a 30-minute public affairs television program that tells the compelling and inspirational stories of real patients. Sharing Miracles airs every Sunday morning on more than 300 television stations nationwide.

Kruk was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1981, but blossomed as a feared slugger after being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1989. He was voted to the Major League Baseball All-Star for three consecutive years and led the Phillies to the 1993 World Series.

A fan favorite while playing for Philadelphia, Kruk's career was nearly put on hold when, during the '93 season, he was hit in the groin by a wild throw. After playing through debilitating pain for months, Kruk finally visited a doctor, who told him that he merely had a hematoma. In reality, it turned out to be testicular cancer.

An angiogram later found signs that the cancer was spreading, and Kruk underwent 25 rounds of radiation therapy.

However, Kruk didn't let cancer get the best of him. He returned to baseball before the radiation was even complete, appearing in the Phillies' home opener of the 1994 season. "In my first at-bat, I hit a double and was standing at second base to a long standing ovation. It was unbelievable. I'd never experienced anything like that before," Kruk says on Sharing Miracles.

Kruk retired from baseball in 1995 with a lifetime batting average of .300. He is now a critically-acclaimed baseball analyst for ESPN.

Fellow ESPN analyst and Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon also appears on the episode, along with baseball Hall-of-Famer and Kruk's former Padres teammate Tony Gwynn. The two talk about Kruk and his life both on and off the field.

Cancer-free after 15 years, Kruk spreads the word about the importance of testing. Shortly after he announced his diagnosis to the world, more than 100 cases of testicular cancer were diagnosed in the Philadelphia area alone among men who said they would never have been tested if not for his announcement.

That made him realize the importance of his advocacy, he says. "I'm alive and as a cancer survivor, I have a voice to say to people: 'Get checked out, because this disease can attack anyone.'"

Also featured in this month's episode is Olympic Gold Medal winner Mark Spitz, who talks about heart disease and the importance of access to medicines when living with a chronic disease. Although heart disease is currently the number one killer of Americans, it is expected that in 2010, cancer could take its place, Millenium Pharmaceuticals scientist Dr. Natalie D'Amore says on Sharing Miracles.

That's one reason why America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are currently studying the more than 800 new medicines and vaccines that are in development for cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, 1,500 Americans die each day of some form of the disease.

Speaking on Sharing Miracles, Amgen scientist Dr. David Reese says: "Exciting research these days is being done in the area of targeted therapies or the development of new biologic agents that specifically target genetic mutations in cancer cells."

Next month's episode of Sharing Miracles will feature legendary Major League Baseball manager and former National League Most Valuable Player Joe Torre, who survived prostate cancer.

Previous episodes of Sharing Miracles have featured Academy Award-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, a breast cancer advocate; actor Danny Glover, who suffered from epilepsy; Grammy Award-winning country music superstar Naomi Judd, who overcame Hepatitis C; pioneering rapper and actor Ice-T, who speaks about his battle with heart disease; baseball great Darryl Strawberry, who twice beat colon cancer; Emmy Award-winning actor Joey Pantoliano, who suffers from clinical depression; Football Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka, who suffers from heart disease; Super Bowl Champion and former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis, who has asthma; two-time NCAA tournament-winning University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun, who has overcome cancer three times; NBA Hall-of-Famer Dominique Wilkins; Boston Red Sox star pitcher Jon Lester, who has battled leukemia; Emmy-nominated former star of Family Ties Meredith Baxter, who survived breast cancer; Olympic gold medal winners Mark Spitz (high cholesterol), Bruce Jenner (attention deficit disorder), and Greg Louganis (HIV); syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams, who suffers from multiple sclerosis; actor and Leave It To Beaver star Jerry Mathers, who is affected by diabetes; pop icon and Broadway star Deborah Gibson, who has suffered from devastating anxiety attacks; and Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and Super Bowl Champion Len Dawson, who survived prostate cancer.

The new episode debuts October 4. Sharing Miracles airs on Sunday mornings on the following network-affiliated stations: WDCA-TV, Washington, DC, 9 am-9:30 am; WPHL-TV, Philadelphia, PA, 11 am-11:30 am; WUTB-TV, Baltimore, MD, 9 am-9:30 am; WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN, 11:30 am-12 noon; KVMY-TV, Las Vegas, NV, 9 am-9:30 am; WCTX-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT, 9 am-9:30 am; WRAZ-TV, Raleigh, NC, 7:30 am-8:00 am; WNYA-TV, Albany, NY, 8 am-8:30 am; WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA, 7:30 am-8:00 am; WCIA-TV, Springfield/Champaign/Urbana/Decatur, IL, 10:30 am-11 am; WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA, 11 am-11:30 am; WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA, 11 am-11:30 am; WOWK-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV, 11:30 am-12 noon; WMTW-TV, Portland/Augusta, ME, 11:30 am-12 noon; KHBB-TV, Helena, MT, 10 am-10:30 am; WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL, 10 am-10:30 am; WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL/Davenport, IA, 10 am-10:30 am; KFBB-TV, Great Falls, MT, 10 am-10:30 am; KDEV-TV, Cheyenne, WY, 7:30 am-8:00 am; and WTOV-TV, Rockford, IL, 10:30 am-11:00 am.

The show also airs on 290 community broadcast stations across the country. For free DVDs of Sharing Miracles, please contact the PhRMA press line at 202-835-3460 or go to www.sharingmiracles.com.

Community stations airing Sharing Miracles are located in the following cities: Anchorage, AK; Decatur, AL; Harrison, AR; Mountain Home, AR; Tempe, AZ; Bath, ME; Casa Grande, AZ; Chino Valley, AZ; Anaheim, CA; Compton, CA; Coralville, CO; Del Mar, CA; Gilroy, CA; Hayward, CA; Pacifica, CA; Pasadena, CA; Petaluma, CA; San Andreas, CA; Santa Barbara, CA; Arvada, CO; Aurora, CO; Fort Collins, CO; Golden, CO; Greeley, CO; Longmont, CO; Northglenn, CO; Thornton, CO; Bridgeport, CT; East Haven, CT; Hamden, CT; Hartford, CT; Madison, CT; North Haven, CT; Plainville, CT; Simsbury, CT; Wallingford, CT; Brooksville, FL; Cape Coral, FL; Coral Springs, FL; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Fort Myers, FL; MacDill AFB, FL; Tampa, FL; Palm Coast, FL; Vero Beach, FL; Atlanta, GA; Dallas, GA; Douglasville, GA; Fort Oglethorpe, GA; Lawrenceville, GA; Hilo, HI; Ames, IA; Des Moines, IA; Fairfield, IA; Mount Vernon, IA; Olin, IA; Muscatine, IA; Boise, ID; Coeur d'Alene, ID ; Moscow, ID ; Addison, IL; Aurora, IL; Batavia, IL; Darien, IL; Galesburg, IL; Glen Ellyn, IL; Glenview, IL; Joliet, IL; Lake Forest, IL; Naperville, IL; Plainfield, IL; Romeoville, IL; Urbana, IL; Wheaton, IL; Austin, IN; Bloomington, IN; Connersville, IN; Fort Wayne, IN; Richmond, IN; Haysville, KS; Lawrence, KS; Olathe, KS; Ottawa, KS; Covington, KY; Highland Heights, KY; Louisville, KY; Bossier City, LA; Houma, LA; Lafayette, LA; Mandeville, LA; New Orleans, LA; Amherst, MA; Arlington, MA; Boston, MA; Brookline, MA; Carver, MA; Chelmsford, MA; Dracut, MA; Easthampton, MA; Foxboro, MA; Holden, MA; Hopkinton, MA; Leominster, MA; Longmeadow, MA; Lynn, MA; Marion, MA; Sandwich, MA; Wakefield, MA; Wilbraham, MA; Worcester, MA; Bel Air, MD; Columbia, MD; Easton, MD; Greenbelt, MD; Largo, MD; Rockville, MD; Bath, ME; Boothbay Harbor, ME; Bridgton, ME; Brunswick, ME; Madison, ME; Mexico, ME; Ann Arbor, MI; Byron, MI; Cadillac, MI; Farmington Hills, MI; Holland, MI; Kalamazoo, MI; Lake Orion, MI; Manistee, MI; Monroe, MI; Portage, MI; Romeo, MI; Waterford, MI; Wyandotte, MI; Blaine, MN; Bloomington, MN; Champlin, MN; Coon Rapids, MN; Duluth, MN; Fergus Falls, MN; Hibbing, MN; Hutchinson, MN; Inver Grove Heights, MN; Le Seuer, MN; Minneapolis, MN; Rosemont, MN; Spring Park, MN; Stillwater, MN; White Bear Lake, MN; Brentwood, MI; Hudsonville, MI; Blue Springs, MO; Columbia, MO; Independence, MO; Ste. Genevieve, MO; Hillsboro, MS; Vicksburg, MS; Great Falls, MT; Helena, MT; Albemarle, NC; Charlotte, NC; Knightdale, NC; New Bern, NC; Fargo, ND; Grand Island, NE; Hastings, NE; Lincoln, NE; Omaha, NE; Claremont, NH; Derry, NH; Durham, NH; Keene, NH; Londonderry, NH; Manchester, NH; North Conway, NH; Wolfeboro, NH; Bloomfield, NJ; Metuchen, NJ; Montclair, NJ; Piscataway, NJ; Pomona, NJ; Princeton, NJ; Statewide, NJ; Wayne, NJ; Albuquerque, NM; Los Alamos, NM; Rio Rancho, NM; Santa Fe, NM; Taos, NM; Boulder City, NV; Carson City, NV; Minden, NV; Chappaqua, NY; Fairport, NY; Penfield, NY; Staten Island, NY; Tivoli, NY; Webster, NY; Athens, OH; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Defiance, OH; Fairborn, OH; Hudson; OH; Macedonia, OH; Medina, OH; Middletown, OH; Norwood, OH; Troy, OH; Wadsworth, OH; Perry, OK; Oregon City, OR; Silverton, OR; Ardmore, PA; Berwyn, PA; Bethel Park, PA; Gettysburg, PA; Harrisburg, PA; McMurray, PA; Moon Township, PA; Pottstown, PA; Reading, PA; Wayne, PA; York, PA; Greenville, SC; Rockhill, SC; Union, SC; Clarksville, TN; Franklin, TN; Germantown, TN; Murfreesboro, TN; Arlington, TX; College Station, TX; Denton, TX; Houston, TX; Kingsville, TX; Cedar City, UT; Logan, UT; Salt Lake City, UT; Vernal, UT; Blacksburg, VA; Gloucester, VA; Herndon, VA; Norfolk, VA; Roanoke, VA; Suffolk, VA; Barre, VT; Bellow Falls, VT; Burlington, VT; Hyde Park, VT; Manchester Center, VT; Newport, VT; Springfield, VT; Waitsfield, VT; Bainbridge Island, WA; Bremerton, WA; Ellensburg, WA; Kent, WA; Longview, WA; Port Townsend, WA; Seattle, WA; Toppenish, WA; Dodgeville, WI; Eau Claire, WI; Fitchburg, WI; Hartford, WI; Janesville, WI; Lake Mills, WI; Kenosha, WI; Madison, WI; Merrill, WI; Muskego, WI; New London, WI; Reedsburg, WI; River Falls, WI; Sun Prairie, WI; Superior, WI; Waterloo, WI; Wausau, WI; Wenatchee, WI; Whitehall, WI; Wisconsin Rapids, WI; Huntington, WV; and Summersville, WV.

The show's corresponding Web site, www.sharingmiracles.com, is an interactive forum for people to relate their own personal stories of hope and survival. Every patient's battle is unique, but the collective power of shared experiences can offer great help and courage to others who are fighting for their lives.

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) helps uninsured and financially-struggling patients access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. To find out if they may qualify for help, patients should call toll-free 1-888-4PPA-NOW to speak with a trained specialist or visit www.pparx.org.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $50.3 billion in 2008 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $65.2 billion in 2008.

PhRMA Internet Address: http://www.phrma.org/

For information on stories of hope and survival, visit: http://sharingmiracles.com/

For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit: http://www.innovation.org/

For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit: http://www.pparx.org/

For more information on public health emergencies, visit http://www.rxresponse.org/

For information on the danger of imported drugs, visit: http://www.buysafedrugs.info/

Source: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

CONTACT: Kate Michael of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of
America, +1-202-835-3460

Web Site: http://www.phrma.org/
http://www.sharingmiracles.com/

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