Paul Simon and Philip Glass to Perform at CHF's Annual Gala Dinner

Children's Health Fund
Wednesday, 5 March 2003

The Children's Health Fund, celebrating its 16th year, will honor Raymond V. Gilmartin, Chairman, President and CEO of Merck & Co., Inc., and Dan Klores, Founder and President of Dan Klores Communications, for their commitment to the non-profit organization at its annual fundraising gala on Thursday, March 13, 2003 at the Hilton New York in Manhattan. Paul Simon, who co-founded The Children's Health Fund in 1987 with pediatrician/child advocate Irwin Redlener, M.D., will give a special performance. Simon, who is a 2003 inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame and an Academy Award nominee for original song in The Wild Thornberries, will perform with Oscar-nominated composer, Philip Glass. Jane Pauley, co-anchor of NBC's "Dateline" and Chair of The Children's Health Fund's Advisory Board, will host the event and be joined by Chevy Chase. Jonathan Alter, Edie Brickell, Meredith and Tom Brokaw, Fred Francis, Bob Herbert, and Garry Trudeau are among the guests that are expected to attend this year's gala.

"Both honorees have provided critical support to the CHF mission of ensuring that all children have access to high-quality and consistent health care," said Dr. Redlener. "Ray Gilmartin and Merck have played an essential role in helping to expand our national network of children's health projects. As a founding board member, Dan Klores has been instrumental from the beginning in helping shape our organization. It is an honor to recognize their ongoing commitment to The Children's Health Fund."

The Chair for The Children's Health Fund's 2003 gala is Robert Essner, Chairman, President and CEO of Wyeth. Dinner Chairs include David W. Anstice, President, Merck Human Health; Lewis Katz, Chairman, New Jersey Nets Basketball; Adel A.F. Mahmoud, MD, PhD, President, Merck Vaccines; Kenneth and Marisa Starr, Starr & Co., LLC; and Laura Baudo Sillerman, President, Tomorrow Foundation.

Cocktails will begin at 6:00 p.m., with dinner at 7:00 p.m. and the special musical performance following. For ticket information, please call The Children's Health Fund Benefit Office at (212) 997-0100. To date the Fund has raised $1.4 million in support of the 2003 gala.

The Children's Health Fund works to provide medical care to the nation's most medically underserved population – homeless and disadvantaged children.

Specifically, the Fund works to ensure support of its flagship pediatric programs for children in New York City; to develop and support a national network of pediatric programs in some of the nation's most disadvantaged rural and urban communities; to advocate for policies and programs that will ensure access to medical homes that provide comprehensive and continuous health care for all children; and educate health professionals, policy makers and the public about the needs and barriers to health care experienced by disadvantaged children. Since it's inception, The Children's Health Fund's national network of 15 pediatric programs has treated nearly 300,000 children.

For more information, or to contact Children's Health Fund, see their website at: www.childrenshealthfund.org