Ken Baker of E! Moves Charitable Work From Head to Hollywood to Make-A-Wish Foundation

Los Angeles (Nov. 3, 2008) - - The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles today announced that the 501(c)(3) charitable organization Head to Hollywood would begin referring its child applicants to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and founder Ken Baker will join the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles' Ambassador Board of Directors.

Additionally, Head to Hollywood will make a special purpose grant of $50,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening brain tumors. Head to Hollywood's team of volunteer directors has also pledged to continue their mission as volunteers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles.

"We are excited to have Ken Baker supporting our wish-granting efforts. Because our average wish cost is $7,500, the grant from Head to Hollywood will also help immensely in fulfilling wishes," said Paulette Pasciuti, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles President and CEO. "In return, we will work hard to bring our wish-granting magic to those children who would have been served by the Head to Hollywood organization."

Currently the Executive News Editor for E!, Baker formerly was Editorial Director of UsMagazine.com and Us Weekly's West Coast Executive Editor. Prior to that, he was the magazine's L.A. Bureau Chief. Baker has also written three books. His critically-acclaimed Man Made: A Memoir of My Body (Tarcher Putnam, 2001) told the story of his 12-year battle with a brain tumor. Baker is also co-author, with Olympic hero and cancer survivor Scott Hamilton, of the soon-to-be-released book The Great Eight Secrets: How To Be Happy (Even When You Have Every Reason To Be Miserable).

In 2005, Baker founded Head to Hollywood (H2H), a nonprofit organization that provided comfort, escape, and emotional healing to brain tumor survivors and their families in the form of access to star-studded events, concerts and parties, movie and TV studio tours, and pampering at celebrity spas and beauty salons.

As a pituitary brain tumor survivor himself, Baker wanted to "give back" to those battling brain tumors through his charity foundation. Now, he says he wants to expand that spirit of philanthropy to help even more children.

"By joining forces with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I know that I can expand on my passion of wish-granting and bring comfort to many children battling life-threatening medical conditions," Baker said.