Little girl at St. Jude

Courage. Inspiration. Strength.

That is what these children and their family embody, every single day they fight their battle with cancer. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the premier center for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. Children from all 50 states and around the world have come through the doors of St. Jude for treatment, and thousands more around the world have benefited from the research conducted at St. Jude – research that is shared freely with the global medical community. Working together, our physicians and scientists have pioneered treatments that have helped push the overall survival rate for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent in 1962 to more than 70 percent today. The survival rate for the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, has risen from just 4 percent in 1962 to 94 percent today.

Quick Facts about St. Jude St. Jude Children9 9s Research Hospital, • founded by the late entertainer, Danny Thomas, maintains 78 inpatient beds and treats about 260 patients each day, about 5,100 in active status, most of whom are treated on an outpatient basis. St. Jude is the first institution • established for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research and treatment into catastrophic childhood diseases, mainly cancer. St. Jude continues to be the only National Cancer Institute – funded cancer center devoted solely to children. The daily operating cost for St. Jude is nearly $1.3 million, which is primarily covered • by public contributions. During the past three years, more than 85 cents of every dollar received by St. Jude has gone • to the current and future needs of the hospital. St. Jude pioneered a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to treat • childhood cancers. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for • treatments that are not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family’s inability to pay.

Kids of St. Jude

Thanks for helping me reach my goal for the kids of St. Jude!

Every child deserves a fighting chance..and you can help give it to them. This year I will be running the Zooma half marathon on behalf of St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital, with the “St. Jude’s Hero’s” team. I realize it is a tough economic time for everyone right now, but please just stop and think that this could be your child, your neice or nephew, your grandchild, or a friend that we are raising money for. Saint Jude is the “Patron Saint of Lost Causes”, and belives that “When all other avenues are closed, he is the one to call upon, and his help often comes at the last moment.” St. Jude hospital is where the children and their families go with hope that they will be able to return home one day, happy and healthy, and live a normal life…just like every kid deserves to do. Please take a couple minutes to check out their web site www.stjude.org and if you are able, donate to their cause. It really does save lives.

The Zooma Half Marathon

I am running the Zooma half marathon this year with the St. Jude’s Hero’s team, and we are raising money to support the fight against catastrophic childhood diseases. Please take a moment to look at my St Jude Hero page and if you are able to donate, please do. You will be helping save the life of a child! Sincerely, Allison Burbage

www.mystjudeheroes.org/aliburbage