Thanks and Giving

If you need a reason to be thankful . . .

St. Jude Childrens Hospital, founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, provides health care to children regardless of ability to pay.

Here are just a few of the medical advances made possible by St. Jude.

1970: A supplemental feeding program is proven to correct nutritional deficiencies of children in poverty-level families. This achievement attracts national recognition from Senator Hubert Humphrey and other congressmen. (Dr. Paul Zee, MD)

1971: A combination of chemotherapy and cranial irradiation is proven to cure at least half of all children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This finding revolutionized leukemia therapy worldwide. (Donald Pinkel, MD)

1975: A new drug combination is found to be effective against leukemia that had recurred after initial treatment. This leads to improved therapy for hundreds of leukemia patients, especially those with a very high risk of early failure. (Gaston Rivera, MD)

1984: Rearrangement of the genetic material within human chromosomes found to be an important factor in how a child with leukemia responds to treatment. (Dorothy Williams, MD)

1991: Neuroblastoma survival rate reaches 57 percent. An evaluation of neuroblastoma treatment at St. Jude over the previous 25 years finds a 25 percent improvement in survival rates for children. (Laura Bowman, MD)

1998: Study reveals that the long-term survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, has increased from 73 percent to 80 percent. (William Evans, PharmD; Ching-Hon Pui, MD)

St. Jude does accept insurance payments, but much of their funding comes from donations and corporate sponsorships.

So who benefits from St. Jude?

Here are just a few stories.

So if you need a reason to be thankful, then consider making a donation to this wonderful organization.