The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, today presented $60,000 to the Vanderbilt Eskind Diabetes Clinic in honor of former member and country music star Billy Ray Cyrus.

Cyrus came to the Vanderbilt Eskind clinic with Eagles leadership to present the check and tour the Pediatric Diabetes Clinic. Later he visited with patients and their families at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and brought along his daughter, Miley, to meet the young patients.

Cyrus has long been a supporter of Children's Hospital and the Vanderbilt Department of Pediatrics. A singer and TV star in his own right, he and his teen singing-and-TV-superstar daughter Miley gave the families at the Children's Hospital a very special early holiday gift. They entertained patients and families for almost two hours; chatting, signing autographs and even singing an impromptu duet together.

Over the past few years, the Eagles have donated $300,000 to Vanderbilt's pediatric diabetes research and treatment programs, including the Child Life program.

The Eagles "unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope." Founded in 1898, the group funds research in heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and cancer; raises money for neglected and abused children and the aged; and works for social and civic change.