Russ DiGilio, founder and owner of Duck Donuts Franchising Company LLC, headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pa., has announced the company's first national partnership as the major sponsor of Gabe's Chemo Duck Program, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., at a media conference at Penn State Children's Hospital, in Hershey, Pa. Duck Donuts presented Chemo Duck with a $10,000 check as their inaugural corporate investment.

Chemo Duck is a nonprofit organization that provides education, comfort, and huggable hope to children living with cancer using medical play, an adorable stuffed duck, and therapeutic tools.

"We are excited and proud to be partnering with another 'super duck,'" says Chemo Duck Founder and CEO Louise Sipos. "As one of the fastest-growing franchising companies in the country, Duck Donuts is in the perfect position to support our mission as we strive to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer."

"When I saw the incredible difference Lu's organization is making in the lives of pediatric cancer patients, we decided to join forces so that every child and family facing the unimaginable diagnosis of pediatric cancer would have access to a Chemo Duck. The education and comfort that comes with this therapeutic stuffed yellow duck in hospital scrubs encourages healing," says DiGilio.

"The ducks become an instant friend to the children who receive them, and even come with matching bandanas for the duck and child," says Ashley Kane, Penn State Children's Hospital child life program manager.

Penn State Children's Hospital, a nationally recognized leader in pediatric cancer care, is one of over 120 hospitals worldwide that uses the adorable stuffed duck.

"Duck Donuts places a strong emphasis on the importance of contributing to the communities we call home through our #QuackGivesBack initiative," says DiGilio. "We are honored to have #DuckChampionsUnite to bring a little more joy, happiness, and huggable hope into the lives of these children. Our partnership will enable children's hospitals nationwide to offer a Chemo Duck to every child who needs one. We hope to make a family's pediatric cancer journey a little easier, one duck at a time."