T
he family of the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings was touched by pancreatic
cancer when Thomas Grissom, the brother-in-law of Dean Lombardi, the team President/
General Manager, was diagnosed with the disease in 2009. Thankfully, Tom has defied the
frightening odds that all of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer must face and we are pleased to
recognize him here tonight. Recently, Tom celebrated his third anniversary as a pancreatic cancer
survivor.
Tonight, we honor the Kings and the Kings Care Foundation for all they have done to support
the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network as well as the broader Los Angeles community.
The Kings Care Foundation is the award-winning, non-profit charity of the L.A. Kings, which
offers assistance to children in need, as well as cancer
charities. Formed in 1996, the Kings Care Foundation is
dedicated to providing children in the greater Los Angeles
area with educational and recreational opportunities and
has bestowed nearly $6 million in monetary and in-kind
donations since its inception. The Kings Care Foundation
is proud to support the local community by making a
direct impact on the lives of nearly one million children
throughout Southern California each year.
The L.A. Kings are proud to be an integral part of the
Los Angeles community both on and off the ice. L.A. Kings
community outreach is focused on enhancing educational,
recreational and health-related programs for the youth of
the greater Los Angeles area. L.A. Kings players, alumni,
personalities and staff actively work with local youth-based
organizations and community groups to increase awareness
and raise funds to support the L.A. Kings signature
community initiatives, including the annual Hockey
Fights Cancer initiative.
Regarding the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the
Kings have raised immeasurable awareness of the fight
against pancreatic cancer during the past several years
through the production of a public service announcement,
participation in many on-air interviews and other outreach
efforts regarding the disease. They have also hosted several
awareness events during games to benefit our organization.