Diane and I just had a tour of the St. Jude's Midwest Affiliate at St. Francis tonight. As an employee of WXCL, where we host the St. Jude's Country Cares For Kids Radiothon every year, I can assure you that these people do amazing work for kids and their families. And this coming Monday, all Chili's Restaurants nationwide are donating 100% of their profits for the day to St. Jude's. So we had a tour tonight, along with local Chili's managers from Peoria and East Peoria.
Dana Pace from St. Jude's spoke to the group after a local family and their beautiful little five year old girl gave their story.
Some facts that we Peorian's may not realize:
1) There are three...three...satellite affiliates in the St. Jude's system besides the main hospital in Memphis. Two of them are in Southern Louisiana (currently shut down, as you might expect, with all patients and families being relocated to Memphis), and the other one is right here in Peoria, IL.
Think about that. If there is anything that a young child who is diagnosed with cancer can feel lucky about in Central Illinois, it is the fact that St. Jude's is right here to take care of them.
2) When a family comes to St. Jude's with their child, they sign a piece of paper that basically gives St. Jude's the right to do anything within their power to save the child, and to use anything they learn from that child on the next patient. All the parents have to agree to in return is...they will never spend a dollar of their own money on the treatment. St. Jude's covers it. How incredible, in this day and age of corporate greed and individual selfishness, is that?
3) It costs over one million dollars a day...$1,000,000.00 per day...to run the hospital. Over $41,000 per hour. That is why they ask for your help. That is why they work so hard to raise funds while they are saving and curing children.
So go to Chili's Monday. Have lunch, have dinner, and know that the profits go to those kids. You're going to eat anyway, put the money you spend to good use.
Thanks.
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3 comments:
BJ..Thanks for spreading the word about St. Jude.
Who all went and ate at Chilli's today to help St. Jude? We did, did you?
Thanks for doing that, Josh!
Diane had a shrimp pasta, and I went nuts and had a New York Strip for lunch at the Peoria Chili's!
Dan, you were a huge part of it all for many years, and still involved. The thanks should go to you.
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