Legacy Project unveiled at Texas Children's
HOUSTON -- For more than two decades, Major League Baseball has implemented an extensive Legacy Project initiative that pours funding into several worthwhile causes in the city that hosts the All-Star Game. This year, for the first time, those efforts have expanded and now include the World Series host teams.
On Wednesday, MLB and the Astros rolled out the first Fall Classic Legacy, introduced at Texas Children's Hospital.
| Game | Date | Result | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Oct. 22 | WSH 5, HOU 4 | Watch |
| Gm 2 | Oct. 23 | WSH 12, HOU 3 | Watch |
| Gm 3 | Oct. 25 | HOU 4, WSH 1 | Watch |
| Gm 4 | Oct. 26 | HOU 8, WSH 1 | Watch |
| Gm 5 | Oct. 27 | HOU 7, WSH 1 | Watch |
| Gm 6 | Oct. 29 | WSH 7, HOU 2 | Watch |
| Gm 7 | Oct. 30 | WSH 6, HOU 2 | Watch |
Shop for postseason gear: MLB and the Astros, through the Astros Foundation, unveiled plans for a dedicated waiting room space specially designed for teens undergoing treatment at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers. The gathering space will meet the unique needs of teens receiving inpatient and outpatient care.
Many of the recreational areas at the children's facility tend to be geared toward very young kids. This area will give the older ones their own spot to hang out.
"We want to make sure we are designing a uniquely special space for teens who can have their own video games, have their own soft couches and cushion chairs, and really have a space that is designed for them so they can navigate through what they need to navigate through during their treatment here," said Melanie LeGrande, MLB's vice president of social responsibility.
At Wednesday's unveiling, a teenage patient at Texas Children's spoke glowingly of the care he received at the facility, and he expressed gratitude for the special attention the Astros and MLB have given a place he has called home for the past year.
Just prior to the start of his junior year last fall, Lance McLean was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Instead of getting ready for football season, McLean was faced with missing many of the high school experiences kids his age might take for granted.
"I missed hanging out with my friends, going to homecoming, driving around with friends," he said. "I had to replace it with things like spinal taps, chemo, blood transfusions, scary hospital stays. Because of TCH, I'm going back to school for my senior year to have fun. I still have three long years [of treatment], but with Texas Children's hospital at my side, I know I'll beat cancer."
Texas Children's is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create a healthier future for children and women by leading in patient care, education and research. It is consistently ranked and recognized as one of America's best children's hospitals and is the largest pediatric hospital in the nation, providing medical care in more than 40 pediatric subspecialties.
Texas Children's is one of many child-oriented entities supported by the Astros. The organization has supported many groups over the years, including, most notably The Sunshine Kids, a support group for kids with cancer and their families that drew city- and nation-wide attention because of its decades-long affiliation with Hall of Famer Craig Biggio.
The Astros include Texas Children's as a priority when they schedule player visits throughout the year, and when approached with the Fall Classic Legacy initiative, the club found this to be a logical partner.
"We've had this as one of our wishes that we wanted to work with," said Astros president of business operations Reid Ryan. "When we were fortunate to get to the World Series, with this legacy project, MLB had a grant, and we decided to match it. We're going to redo the place and make it really cool for teens."