It Started With A Prayer and A Pledge – The St. Jude Story

Over 70 years ago, entertainer Danny Thomas found himself nearly broke with a baby on the way. Then he gave his last $7 to a Detroit church with a prayer and a pledge.

Decades later that prayer and pledge have helped countless children live healthy lives.

Thomas was inspired by the sermon he heard in the Detroit church that day, he put the last money he had to his name (money that was supposed to pay for his wife and child's hospital bills) in the collection box and prayed to the patron saint of hopeless causes -  St. Jude.

He then said to St. Jude, "Show me my way in life, and I will build you a shrine."

Wouldn't you know it, the very next day Thomas was offered a small role that paid 10 times the amount he had placed in that collection box.

From that day on, Thomas did everything he could to make sure that no child would have to die in the dawn of life.

Thomas envisioned a hospital that would treat children regardless of race, color, creed or their family's ability to pay. A facility where research would shine light into the darkness.

Thomas’ vision became a reality when St. Jude Children's Research Hospital opened February 4, 1962. Since then, St. Jude has become one of the world's premier pediatric research institutions.

Today the mission is the same, all a family should have to worry about is helping their child live.

And that mission has been incredibly successful. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since opening 50 years ago.

Join us in becoming a Partner in Hope and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to live a healthy normal life. Not only will you be saving lives, you'll have a shirt to prove it. Donate online at St Jude.