Charles Esten, Vince Gill, Scotty McCreery, Bret Michaels, David Nail, Jamie Lynn Spears And More Prepare To Strike Out Cancer

26th anniversary Celebrity Softball Game benefiting City of Hope to be held June 7 at new First Tennessee Park in Nashville

Highlights to include City of Hope patient and donor reunion and ceremony honoring game founder and music industry icon, Bruce Hinton

News provided by

City of Hope

May 05, 2016, 01:00 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Some of Nashville's hottest stars are coming out for the 26^th annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game, presented by Staples, a fan favorite event and longstanding tradition of the CMA Music Festival. Playing to strike out cancer for the Grand Ole Opry and iHeartCountry teams will be Charles Esten, Vince Gill, Chris Lane, Scotty McCreery, Bret Michaels, David Nail, RaeLynn and Jamie Lynn Spears. These stars will step up to the plate on Tuesday June 7, at 3 p.m. on the expansive new field at First Tennessee Park in Nashville, along with more names to be announced in the coming weeks.

Support from the Nashville community and its country music artists directly benefit City of Hope's mission to find cures for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. A highlight of this year's game will be when 8-year-old Aaron Yniquez a City of Hope patient from Redlands, California, will finally meet his donor Yolanda Nava, a Southwest Airlines employee from Arlington, Texas. During his treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, Aaron received a lifesaving donation of genetically matched stem cells from Yolanda, and the pair will meet for the first time at the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game.

Bone marrow transplants offer a second chance for people with life-threatening blood cancers and other hematologic malignancies. Since 1976, more than 13,000 patients from virtually every state and dozens of countries have undergone bone marrow, cord blood or stem cell transplants at City of Hope.

Each year, the Celebrity Softball Game regularly features some of country music's biggest and hottest stars, and this year will be honoring music industry veteran Bruce Hinton as the founder of the event and for his significant contributions to the game over its 25-year history. As the game embarks on its next 25 years, it is befitting to honor the man who conceived the event and made it a Nashville tradition. Over the years, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Scotty McCreery, Vince Gill and many more have taken to the field in support of City of Hope's lifesaving mission.

Tickets for the game can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Those not able to attend the game can still support the cause. A variety of unique merchandise and experiences, including meet-and-greets with the hottest artists, will be available for bid at charitybuzz.com. The proceeds will benefit City of Hope's mission to eradicate cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

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About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as one of only 45 comprehensive cancer centers, the highest recognition bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, City of Hope is also a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, with research and treatment protocols that advance care throughout the world. City of Hope is located in Duarte, California, just northeast of Los Angeles, with community clinics throughout Southern California. It is ranked as one of "America's Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation, diabetes and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs based on technology developed at the institution. For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org or follow City of Hope on facebook, twitter, youtube or flickr.