September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® calls for communities, leaders, supporters to help save lives of children battling cancer, other life-threatening diseases

PR Newswire, MEMPHIS, Tenn. (September 2, 2016)
This year, parents of nearly 16,000 children in the U.S. will hear the words: “Your child has cancer.” One in five of those children won’t survive. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and as a leader in the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® is rallying communities to join its lifesaving mission: Finding cures. Saving children®.

Despite significant progress made by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which has helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened in 1962, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 14. Each year about 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and 60 percent of these kids don’t have access to modern treatment. For those who win their battles against childhood cancer, victory often comes at a cost as survivors face a much higher risk of experiencing unique long-term health effects later in life.

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Childhood Cancer Awareness Month provides St. Jude an opportunity to educate communities and supporters about what they can do to help these kids fighting for their lives. Throughout the month of September supporters are encouraged to help St. Jude in its efforts to end childhood cancer through a number of ways, including:

  • Rally friends, family and community members to register for the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer on Sept. 17, 24 and 25. Registration is $10 for adults and children ages 6 and older. Visit stjude.org/walkrun to find an event near you;
  • Donate or learn more about how you can help at stjude.org/together; and
  • Join @StJude on social media and use the Hashtag #StJude to show your support.

“Childhood Cancer Awareness Month urgently reminds us of the work we must do together to realize our founder, Danny Thomas’ dream that no child die in the dawn of life. This September, we are inviting people in communities across the country to join St. Jude in raising funds and critical awareness for the ongoing need to save the lives of children with cancer everywhere,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “The collective efforts of our supporters and the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer events in communities across the U.S. are vital to helping St. Jude find cures and save some of the sickest children in the world.”

Let’s end childhood cancer. Together. See how you can support the kids of #stjude this September: stjude.org/together

This year, more than 50 national partners are supporting St. Jude through various Childhood Cancer Awareness Month campaigns throughout the month of September. Partners include Chili’s Grill & Bar’s Create-A-Pepper campaign; CBS Sports’ PSA and awareness initiative; Domino’s Smart Slice program; and The Limited’s in-store and online customer donation opportunities. National series sponsors of the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer events are Target, Thrivent Mutual Funds and American Airlines. Gold level partners are Brooks Brothers, Chili’s Grill and Bar, Cox Automotive, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Destination XL Group, Domino’s Pizza, The Limited, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Tri Delta Sorority, Westfield, and New York & Company.

The generosity of our partners and individual contributors allow St. Jude doctors and scientists to embark upon ambitious, industry-leading efforts like the Pediatric Cancer Genome Project, the St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center, which is the first proton therapy center in the world dedicated solely to children, and the St. Jude LIFE & After Completion of Therapy Clinic Presented by Kmart, whose mission is to help patients stay healthy as they continue their journeys as survivors after active treatment ends.

Contributions help St. Jude patients like Jordyn.

In late 2014, Jordyn started to complain about aches and pains. Since she was a competitive gymnast, her doctor thought it was related to a sports injury. But then Jordyn developed a persistent fever and was often in tears because she felt so bad. When tests revealed she suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, her family turned to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where her treatment will include two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy. Jordyn is in fifth grade and is an A student who loves to read. She also loves to tell jokes and riddles.

Visit Stjude.org/together for more information on how to help St. Jude end childhood cancer.

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for some of the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

Media Contact:
Kassidy Johnson
ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization
for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
[email protected], 901-574-4333