SAN DIEGO (KUSI) -- Some young patients at Rady Children's Hospital got the opportunity to give the San Diego Padres a special sendoff on Friday for their annual spring training visit to Peoria, Ariz.
On Friday, 16 patients between the ages of 14 and 18 met with Padres players, coaches and staff before they headed to the airport for a three-day trip to the Padres' Spring Training facility at the Peoria Sports Complex.
The patients are receiving treatment at the Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Rady Children's Hospital for various medical conditions including leukemia, osteosarcoma and blood disorders.
"For these kids, it's a time when they're going through treatments in a difficult time of their lives," said Dr. Patrick Frias, Rady Children's president and CEO. "We really let them experience a fantastic weekend and take them away from what they're dealing with back home."
This is the third year of the program that enables Rady Children's patients to visit the Padres during spring training.