April Philanthropy Spotlight: St. Jude Children's Hospital

Sharing my monthly Philanthropy Spotlight post on April 1st felt wrong, so I opted to post today instead. I'm allowed to come up with my own posting schedule, right?  This month I'm talking about my love for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Of all the charities I support and donate to, St. Jude is the one that is the most personal to me and my family. Not only to I help organize an annual benefit for the hospital, but my great-grandfather used to preform with Danny Thomas, and my sorority's philanthropy was St. Jude! In 2017 my lifelong dream to visit the hospital became a reality and I loved every moment of it. For me this was one of those "life changing" trips that may not be the most glamorous to most, but it was one of the most meaningful to me. 

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded by Danny Thomas in the 1960s. Before he started the hospital, he was a struggling entertainer with a baby on the way and prayed to Saint Jude "Show me my way in life, and I will build you a shrine". Shortly thereafter his career took off and in 1962 he opened St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It has since grown into the beloved and most prominent children's hospital in the world. No family receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food at St. Jude. The hospital believes all a family should worry about and focus on is helping their child live. Since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago childhood cancer survival rate has increased from 20% to more than 80% - largely because of treatments developed at St. Jude. 

As I mentioned earlier, every year I help plan and host an annual benefit called The Gold Gala. Over the course of the 8 years we held the event was have raised over $1 Million for the hospital. It's one of the most known young professional events in New York and attracts about 500 guests each year. In March 2020 we decided to postpone the event, with hopes we could regroup in the late summer or early fall. That obviously didn't happen and the 2021 event is now mostly virtual and a shell of what it used to be. I think we will be back together in 2022, stronger than ever, but in the meantime I'm hoping you will consider donating to such a wonderful and special cause.  It truly would mean the world to me and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

For the kids,

ARS xx

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