Brad Garrett, Comedian and Star of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' Will Emcee the 7th Annual National Hospice Foundation Gala on April 8, 2011

Brad Garrett, Comedian and Star of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' Will Emcee the 7th Annual National Hospice Foundation Gala on April 8, 2011

NHF Will Present Garrett the Buchwald Spirit Award for His Foundation's Work Funding Programs for Seriously Ill Children

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three-time Emmy Award winning actor and comedian Brad Garrett will be the Master of Ceremonies for the National Hospice Foundation's gala on April 8, 2011. Garrett is perhaps best known for playing Ray Romano's brother, Robert, on the hit CBS television series, "Everybody Loves Raymond."

During the evening, NHF will honor Garrett with the Buchwald Spirit Award for Public Awareness, in recognition of the work Garrett has done through the Maximum Hope Foundation, an organization he founded to help families cope with the financial hurdles that accompany caring for a terminally ill child.

J. Donald Schumacher, NHF president & CEO said, "Brad first came into the NHF 'orbit' last year as he was seeking help for a young friend of his who needed hospice care. Brad shows incredible commitment to the tenets and the role that hospice plays in assisting people who are facing the end of their lives. He has committed himself and his Foundation to assisting the patients and families who benefit from hospice care. He is truly deserving of this honor."

The inspiration for the Buchwald Award was columnist Art Buchwald. In his final year of life, he became the public voice for hospice care. Through his columns, Buchwald extolled the merits of hospice, calling it the "smart choice" for end-of-life care - not only for the patients, but for families as well. In 2008, recognizing the attention Buchwald brought to hospice, NHF created the Buchwald Spirit Award for Public Awareness to honor those who use their own public presence to speak for hospice and palliative care.

The seventh annual NHF gala will be held at the Gaylord National Resort at National Harbor, MD. This year's theme, From Sea to Shining Sea: An American Celebration of Hospice Care, will celebrate hospice and palliative care from coast to coast with an all-American salute. NHF will also pay special tribute to our U.S. military veterans and highlight the national hospice initiative, We Honor Veterans.

Information about Brad Garrett, sponsorship opportunities, tickets, and silent auction, can be found at www.nationalhospicefoundation.org/gala2011.

Contact:
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Susan Messina
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Director, Communications
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National Hospice Foundation
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571-275-4324
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smessina@nationalhospicefoundation.org
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SOURCE National Hospice Foundation

National Hospice Foundation

CONTACT: Susan Messina, Director, Communications, National Hospice Foundation, +1-571-275-4324, smessina@nationalhospicefoundation.org

Web Site: http://www.nationalhospicefoundation.org

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