Teams to Display Decals for Youngster

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 19, 2003) - Hendrick Motorsports president John Hendrick will continue to lend his support to local Union County baby Cole Jackson at a silent auction to be held on Sunday, Aug. 24 from 6:30 until 10 p.m. ET at Firethorne Golf and Country Club in south Charlotte. One-year-old Cole suffers from biliary atresia, a rare liver disease which affects one in 15,000 babies. The cause is unknown and the disease destroys bile ducts in the liver, inhibiting bile from flowing out of the organ. The only known cure for the disease is a liver transplant. After waiting without luck for a donated cadaveric liver, Cole’s family decided to go with a riskier procedure -- a live donation. In a live donation a suitable liver donor is matched with the patient -- in Cole’s case it was his father David -- and one-third of the donor’s liver is removed and transplanted into the recipient. The live donor operation took place on Aug. 14 at The Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati. Hendrick met the Jackson family at a charity golf tournament earlier this year and decided to do whatever he could to help. He has donated NASCAR memorabilia, including signed uniforms from drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, as well as items from drivers Terry Labonte, Joe Nemechek, Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch to the upcoming silent auction on Sunday. In support of Cole, the teams of Hendrick Motorsports will also be displaying “Get Well Soon” decals on the C-posts of their cars for the upcoming events at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway this weekend. Though the Jackson’s insurance does cover transplant costs, the family is still in need of assistance to help with additional medical procedures, travel costs and follow-up visits. This weekend’s silent auction will help raise money to cover the out-of-pocket expenses encountered by the family. Additional information about Cole Jackson can be found on the family’s Web site at www.TheJacksonFour.com. The site contains a biography of Cole, an in-depth description of biliary atresia, a journal kept by Cole’s parents, Dave and Del, and links to register for the silent auction or to donate items.