Hines Horticulture Helps Children Fighting Cancer

IRVINE, Calif. – Hines Horticulture has recently announced that it is joining forces with the Curing Children’s Cancer Fund to help finance research aimed at curing children with cancer. Today, more than 70 percent of children with cancer will survive; however, cancer still remains the number one cause of non-accidental death in children.

As part of Hines’s effort, the company will sell its Big Smile™ Hydrangea, a 2006 Hines Horticulture plant introduction, exclusively in select independent garden centers in the spring. Proceeds from purchases of this plant will support the Curing Children's Cancer Fund and the search for a cure for the tens of thousands of children who are currently undergoing treatment for cancer and serious blood disorders.

Purchasing the Big Smile Hydrangea for your clients will bring a little color to the landscape - and to the lives of children fighting cancer. Photo: Hines Horticulture

"Hines is determined to help find a cure for pediatric cancer and to bring hope to the children and families it affects," said Tom Doll of Hines Horticulture. "The foundation of gardening is about promoting life and growth, which is just what we intend to do for the children we are helping."

The good news is that the survival rate for children with cancer has improved dramatically over the years. Even so, "almost one out of every three children with cancer will not survive,” notes David Poplack, MD, director of the Texas Children’s Cancer Center and one of the founders of the Curing Children’s Cancer Fund. “We must improve these odds so that every child with cancer can be cured and no parent of a child with cancer will have to suffer a loss. We are grateful for Hines' involvement and hopeful that together we can raise funds for research into a cure for children with one of the most devastating of all diseases – cancer."

The Big Smile Hydrangea is a stunning new cultivar that offers dark stems and glossy foliage in the spring, magnificent lacecap flowers through the summer and deep merlot fall foliage. Enhanced hardiness makes Big Smile Hydrangea an exceptional choice for USDA Zones 5 and 6.

The Curing Children's Cancer Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating childhood cancer. All contributions to the Fund support cutting-edge research by some of the world's most knowledgeable and promising physician-scientists.

Hines Horticulture is the leading operator of commercial nurseries in North America, producing one of the broadest assortments of container-grown plants in the industry. The Company sells nursery products primarily to the retail segment, which includes premium independent garden centers, as well as leading home centers and mass merchandisers. For more information visit www.hineshort.com.