Thunder Introduces Honorary Captain for Go Red Night

Wichita, KS (January 21st) - The Wichita Thunder, proud member of the ECHL and powered by Toyota, have partnered with Kwik Shop and Webster University to bring back Go Red Night on Friday, February 5th against the Colorado Eagles. The American Heart Association's mission is to bring awareness to women's heart health through the Go Red For Women Movement.

Today, the team announced that 10-year old Ashlyn Alumbaugh has been named as an honorary captain for the game.

Ashlyn was diagnosed with a heart disease called ASD, Atrial Septal Defect, at the age of seven. After several attempts of using medications and heart monitors, the doctors concluded that the hole in her heart was extremely large in size and learned that she had three additional holes that needed to be repaired.

Due to the extremely large size of the hole, and the anatomy of her heart being so damaged with the additional holes, Ashlyn was not a candidate for the less invasive catheter procedure, and would require open heart surgery to repair her heart.

At the age of eight, Ashlyn underwent an eight-hour open heart surgery procedure. Only eight short weeks after her open heart surgery, Ashlyn was back in school playing with friends with little to no complications. Her determination and bravery leading up to her surgery, and during recovery was something to be admired by all.

Ashlyn is now 10 years old, which is just a year and a half after open heart surgery. She is happier and healthier than ever and no longer has any restrictions.

She was featured on a story done by KSN during the 2015 Wichita Heart Walk. To watch, click here.

The American Heart Association helps fund more research on children's heart diseases than any organization outside the federal government. Congenital Heart Defects are the number one birth defect among children in the US, with more than 36,000 babies impacted each year.

February is American Heart Month, which is a perfect chance to focus on the prevalence of heart disease, America's No. 1 killer. It is also a time to pause and celebrate the research and education that makes lifesaving advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease a reality. For more information on heart-healthy living, you can visit www.heart.org.

Fans can find free upper level ticket vouchers at all local Kwik Shop and Via Christi Health locations inside their gift shops beginning this weekend. The team will be wearing special uniforms that will be auctioned off after the game with the net proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association. Fans can also help donate to AHA throughout the game. Fans are also encouraged to wear red the night of the game, which is also National Wear Red Day. Use the hashtag #GoRedICT during the game and share your red!

Go Red Night has drawn the two of the three largest crowds in franchise history. 13,168 fans flocked to the arena on Saturday, February 11th, 2012, which is the second largest crowd in franchise history while 10,490 came last year. The Thunder and their fans have helped raise over $20,000 for this great cause!

The Thunder returns home on Friday night to start a three-in-three with heated rival, Allen, starting at 7:05 p.m.

Friday night is Disaster Relief Night, presented by Waste Connections. Help us raise money, which will benefit the American Red Cross. Bring cash and drop it in the bucket during first intermission.

Saturday night is Thunderdog's birthday bash, presented by Sonic America's Drive-In. All of Thunderdog's mascot friends will be in attendance along with a special appearance from Captain America.

Individual tickets for all games are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at the INTRUST Arena Box office, by calling 855-755-SEAT or go online at www.selectaseat.com.

Follow along with us on our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter (@wichita_thunder), Snapchat (wichthunder), Instagram (Wichita_Thunder) and LinkedIn, presented by Wichita Brewing Company.

About the American Heart AssociationThe American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - America's No. 1 and No. 5 leading causes of death. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based American Heart Association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved in Wichita, please call 316-768-3830 or visit www.heart.org/wichita. You may also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the ECHLThe 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-