Originally Released: April, 1998
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ORIOLES, MBNA AMERICA BANK TEAM UP WITH SHOCK TRAUMA TO REWARD "SAVES"

The Orioles led major league baseball last year in saves; every year, the University of Maryland Medical System Shock Trauma Center leads the nation in saves - saving lives of critically injured patients.

To recognize Shock Trauma's extraordinary save rate -- 96 percent of patients admitted survive -- MBNA America Bank will donate $1,000 for each save by an Oriole reliever this season. Last year, the American League Eastern Division champion Orioles amassed 59 saves, the most in either league.

In honor of the "MBNA America Bank Saves for the Shock Trauma Center" program, tonight's first pitch (April 14) will be thrown out by Baltimore County Executive C. A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger III, whose life was saved at Shock Trauma after a devastating automobile crash more than 20 years ago. It put him in critical condition with more than 20 broken bones and a crushed chest. Participating in the ceremony will be O's reliever Jesse Orosco, who already has recorded a save; Shock Trauma's Physician-in-Chief Dr. Tom Scalea and nurse manager Pamela Deloach; the Hon. Frank Kelly, chairman of the Shock Trauma Board of Visitors; and Scott A. Hudson, Regional Executive Vice President of MBNA.

"The drama and significance of what we do is apparent to fans at Orioles Park at Camden Yards every time they look up and see the State Police Med-Evac helicopter landing at Shock Trauma just over the left field fence," says University of Maryland Medical System President and Chief Executive Officer Morton I. Rapoport, M.D. "We are proud of our association with our neighbors, the Orioles. The medical staff of the Shock Trauma Center -- and the people of Maryland -- are indebted to MBNA America Bank for their generosity. Every time the Orioles record a save, we will be in an even better position to save more lives."

Joe Foss, Orioles Vice-Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, said, "We are very excited to be a part of the ‘MBNA America Bank Saves for the Shock Trauma Center' program. Two of our major corporate sponsors and friends, the University of Maryland Medical System and MBNA America Bank, are teaming up to raise thousands for a program that will help save countless lives in 1998 and beyond. Our strong bullpen will certainly serve them well in reaching their goals."

"We are very pleased to be supporting a service that is so critically important and has meant so much to the people of Maryland for many years," said John R. Cochran III, Senior Vice Chairman of MBNA. "We are especially proud to be supporting this program with the help of two of Maryland's most important institutions: the University of Maryland Medical System Shock Trauma Center and the Baltimore Orioles."

The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center is the premier adult trauma care resource for the State of Maryland and is recognized nationally and internationally as an innovator in trauma care and emergency medical service systems development.

The facility and the trauma team members stand ready 24 hours a day to receive, stabilize and treat those whose lives are threatened by severe multisystem injury, complex orthopaedic injury, spinal cord injury and brain injury; those at risk for multiple organ dysfunction; and those who require reconstructive surgery and hyperbaric medicine therapy. Annually, there are about 6,000 admissions to the Shock Trauma Center.

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This page was last updated on: October 2, 2006.