St. Jude

Even though we are a little behind this month, we didn't want that to take away from our "Blog for a Cause".

Every year, across the nation, your standard radio programs are interrupted for two days to host the St. Jude Radio-athon. Its the music you normally listen to with stories of the families and children with a St. Jude connection asking you to become a Partner in Hope. Every year, I turn it on and every year I tear up but can't make myself change the channel.

This past January was no different. On the first day of the radio-athon, I was driving to work and hadn't even made the 3 minute drive before I had Jonathan on the phone. We have been talking about starting a family since we first got engaged (not starting immediately, but planning for the future). "We HAVE to do this" was all I could really say. Without question he told me to give them a call.

St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility. Discoveries made here have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. With research and patient care under one roof, St. Jude is where some of today's most gifted researchers are able to do science more quickly.

St. Jude researchers are published and cited more often in high impact publications than any other private pediatric oncology research institution in America. St. Jude is a place where many doctors send some of their sickest patients and toughest cases. A place where cutting-edge research and revolutionary discoveries happen every day. We've built America's second-largest health-care charity so the science never stops.

Each month we receive our statement along a picture of a child and their story.

Rebekah, age 2 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Asia, age 9, who is now cancer free. Abby, age 5 who suffered from Acute Myeloid Leukemia is also cancer free. The story from Clayton's mother who told about hearing the news that her 7 month baby boy had an aggressive brain tumor know as PNET but has now been cancer free for 9 months. And then there is Amanda who at 19 has beat cancer not once but twice! First with a brain tumor and then in the lungs and is now planning to start college in the fall.

The television ads say "Give Thanks". "Give thanks for the healthy children in your life and give to those who are not."

There are a number of ways that you can help. By shopping where you see the St. Jude magnifying glass, by phone, by mail, and even online. Go to www.stjude.com and click on Ways to Help.