PCH GIVES BACK — TO ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL®
The PCH Prize Patrol just had the thrilling experience of visiting Memphis’ St. Jude Children’s Hospital®, which is a worldwide leader in researching, treating and curing children with cancer and other deadly diseases. While there, we presented a Give Back award for $50,000 to the hospital, which was selected by huge numbers of PCH fans on Facebook and selected by voters as a “favorite.”
On award day, the staff of St. Jude welcomed the Prize Patrol as enthusiastically as if they were “as seen on TV” PCH Sweepstakes winners. Yes, the weather was rainy and raw, but the people at the entrance gave us the same warm, happy greeting they give to everyone who comes there – especially to the children who come with their families for treatment.
One has to visit the hospital in person to appreciate fully what makes St. Jude such a remarkable institution – and so unlike hospitals most people know. Every room and corridor is colorfully decorated to help a young patient feel comfortable, warm and happy. The furniture is kid-friendly, and families with youngsters undergoing treatment live in environments that feel like home. When one sees “live” characters from children’s books, TV and movies entertaining the patients, you could be excused from thinking you were in a world-famous theme park.
Of course, St. Jude is a state-of-the art medical and research facility. We received a thorough tour that helped us appreciate how research and treatment protocols developed at St. Jude have increased the survival rate of the most common form of childhood cancer from four percent in 1962 to 94 percent today! We were told of how St. Jude got started more than 50 years ago through a promise made by founder Danny Thomas.
No family ever pays St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – or anything. With daily operating costs of $1.9 million, St. Jude relies primarily on public and corporate donors – a large group that Publishers Clearing House is proud to join.
While PCH has always recognized that there are lots of winners out there beyond sweepstakes winners, athletes, performers and officials, we especially salute the unsung heroes who unselfishly serve their communities and the celebrated champions like St. Jude.
Thank you, St. Jude, for your inspiring work. And thanks to all you fans who participated in The Give Back at Publishers Clearing House. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Prize Patrol Ambassador
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