| AnthemLIVE! supports cancer research at EVMS |
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Tennis Tournament and Concert to benefit cancer research, including research at EVMS. Andy Roddick vs. James Blake followed by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Mayer and platinum newcomer Gavin DeGraw ODU’s Ted Constant Center at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1 Tickets range from $15 to $100 and courtside seats for 6 are available for $2,500. To get tickets, go to www.constantcenter.com or call the Constant Center box office at (888) 411-4TED. October 26, 2005 NORFOLK—Andy Roddick is best known for a blistering, cannonball serve, which has been clocked at 155 miles per hour, a serve that’s helped transform him into a tennis superstar. Today, James Blake is best known for a miraculous comeback, returning to tennis after a seemingly career-ending injury, and now beating many of the world’s best. What’s less publicized about Blake is the agony he suffered as he watched his father, Thomas, die of cancer last year. Now, Blake is giving back, helping to raise funds for cancer research. Blake, Roddick and Blake’s friend, Grammy-award winner John Mayer, are teaming up Dec. 1 for tennis and music at AnthemLIVE!, an Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield event to support ground-breaking research at Eastern Virginia Medical School, VCU’s Massey Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In the last two years, AnthemLIVE! has helped raised $1.3 million. “AnthemLIVE! has been successful beyond our expectations,” says Tom Byrd, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia. As part of the event, tennis fans can watch Roddick and Blake, two of the hottest players on the circuit, go head to head. Roddick has 19 career titles and is ranked as the nation’s top player. Blake, who learned to play tennis at the Harlem Junior Tennis League, went on to play at Harvard University, where he was ranked the nation’s top college player. After turning pro, Blake played well, but never lived up to his promise. In May 2004, during practice for the Italian Open in Rome, Blake suffered a freak accident, slamming into a net post and fracturing his neck. Later, he contracted a debilitating condition called Zoster that affected his vision and caused partial paralysis to one side of his face. Around that time, his father, Thomas, 57, died of cancer. Many predicted that Blake’s career had ended. Instead, he has returned full force and has been playing what everyone agrees is the best tennis of his life. During this summer’s U.S. Open, Blake stunned everyone by trouncing an up-and-coming Spanish hitter, Rafael Nadal, whom many considered a favorite. Blake, who has emerged as a fan favorite, a one-time underdog tearing up the field, seems to draw strength from what he’s suffered. “When cancer touched my family, I was lucky enough to have friends help me through a difficult time,” he said. “Now, my friends have agreed to play at AnthemLIVE! to help raise money to find a cure.” AnthemLIVE! pits two tennis greats against each other at ODU’s Ted Constant Center at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1, to be followed by a concert by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter John Mayer and Gavin DeGraw, whose recently released first album, “Chariot,” has already gone platinum. Tickets range from $15 to $100 and courtside seats are available for $2,500. All proceeds will support cancer research, including research at EVMS. To get tickets, log on to www.constantcenter.com or call (888) 411-4TED or the Constant Center box office. Top For more information, contact: Doug Gardner, Director of News and Publications EVMS Office of Institutional Advancement (757) 446-6070 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |