Fight Cancer Night Headlines Busy Homestand

Wichita, KS. (March 16th) - The Wichita Thunder, proud member of the ECHL and powered by Toyota, return home this weekend after a seven-game road swing to host the Allen Americans on Friday and the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday. Friday night is Youth Jersey Giveaway, presented by Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, Weiner Dog Nationals, and Scout Night. Saturday Night is Fight Cancer Night, presented by RACE Charities.

The first 1,000 fans 12 and under through the door will receive a special jersey, courtesy of Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. Friday night is also Scout Night and another chance to earn a special Thunder scout patch. The code “SCOUT122” can be used to buy discounted tickets in select areas of the arena. During first intermission, the second edition of Weiner Dog Nationals will take place to see which one scampers across the ice the fastest. There are still spots available and you can contact the Thunder office to get your furry friend signed up. Saturday night is Fight Cancer Night, brought to you by RACE Charities. Special jerseys will be worn and auctioned off immediately following the game. March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month, which is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the US, with over 50,000 Americans dying from it every year. An alarming number of young people in the US are diagnosed with cancer, and last year alone over 13,000 people under the age of 50 were diagnosed, with a large percentage of those ending up in death because it was discovered at a late stage. The disease has around a 95% cure rate, if discovered early enough. Jeromy Gensch, president of RACE Charities Foundation, is thankful for the opportunity to work with the Thunder on this cause.

“This gives an organization like ours the opportunity to educate the public about this terrible disease, as well as its devastating impact on people throughout the world. My sister was only 23 years old when she passed away from this deadly disease, and if it had been detected earlier through more effective and less invasive screening tests, she would be alive today. Our mission is to not only make the public more aware, but to also raise money for the advancement of better and less intrusive pre-screening biotechnologies to mainstream healthcare, which in turn will ultimately save many lives.”

Proceeds from the jersey auction will help benefit this charity as well as helping to find a cure. RG Flath and Tim Boron have agreed to shave their heads if $10,000 is raised by the end of Saturday's game. Visit www.racecharities.org to learn more about RACE Charities and colon cancer awareness.

Wichita ends its seven-game road trip with a pair of games against the Allen Americans starting on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m.

Individual tickets are on sale now. Don't delay! Tickets can be purchased at the INTRUST Arena Box office, by calling 755-SEAT or go online at www.selectaseat.com. Stay up-to-date on all the news during the season by visiting www.wichitathunder.com. About the ECHL

The ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and one Canadian province for its 27th season in 2014-15. There have been 541 players who have started their career in the ECHL have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 29 who made their NHL debuts in the 2013-14 season. The ECHL had affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2013-14, marking the 17th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.

-Thunder-