OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST DONATES TO SHRINERS HOSPITALS

Laura Wilkinson, of The Woodlands, Texas, won a gold medal in platform diving at the Summer 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She also won $64,000 on "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire" during the program's U.S. Olympic Edition shows, and donated half her winnings to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

As the first American to win the gold medal in platform diving since 1964, it's not surprising that Wilkinson was one of the first to get in the "hot seat" during the first of three Olympic edition shows that aired in October. Ten Olympic athletes who won medals in Sydney faced the ultimate challenge of winning one million dollars. Half of each player's winnings were donated to the charity of their choice, and all participants were guaranteed to win a total of at least $16,000.

For 78 years, Shriners Hospital for Children in Houston has provided care to pediatric orthopedic patients completely free of charge.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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