The Pediatric Care Center at Southern Ocean Medical Center will carry NASCAR driver and township native Martin Truex Jr.Âs name. The Pediatric Care Center improvement is part of a $20 million emergency room expansion at the hospital. An October fundraiser, the Martin Truex Jr. Great Causeway Challenge, will raise money for the center, which includes six patient rooms. The multimillion-dollar expansion will triple the size of the emergency room, double patient capacity and add the new pediatric center. The expansion is expected to be completed at the end of 2013. The hospital treats over 40,000 patients each year. The event features a duathlon, starting with a 30-mile bike ride across the Route 72 Causeway Bridge to Ship Bottom, north to Barnegat Light and back, followed by a 10K run. The 10K race is sponsored by the Southern Ocean Medical Center staff, Bleiman said. There will also be a 5K run, a 5K walk and a childrenÂs 1-mile fun run. More info at martintruexjrfoundation.org.(Atlantic City Press)(8-16-2011)
