Ethan Walker
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, a devout Roman Catholic, in 1962. Thomas had promised St. Jude Thaddeus that if he helped him succeed, he would build a shrine where the poor and helpless could find comfort and aid. Thomas fulfilled his promise by building St. Jude Children's Hospital and a fundraising organization to support it. However, despite its name and founder's faith, St. Jude is not a Catholic hospital. It is a secular institution not affiliated with any religious organization.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a secular institution not affiliated with any religious organization |
| History | Founded by devout Roman Catholic entertainer Danny Thomas in 1962, it was named after Thomas's patron saint, St. Jude Thaddeus |
| Funding | The principal source of funding comes from the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC) |
| Treatment | St. Jude treats patients up to age 21 and for some conditions, up to age 25 |
| Financial burden | Treatment at St. Jude does not relieve all the financial burdens incurred by families, including housing, travel, and food costs |
| Location | Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee |
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What You'll Learn
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded by devout Roman Catholic Danny Thomas
- The hospital is not Catholic but a secular institution unaffiliated with any religious organisation
- The hospital is named after Thomas' patron saint, St. Jude Thaddeus
- St. Jude is the largest and most highly regarded healthcare charity in the US
- The hospital's fundraising campaigns attract many evangelical donors
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded by devout Roman Catholic Danny Thomas
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded by entertainer and "devout Roman Catholic" Danny Thomas. Thomas, a struggling comic and actor in the late 1930s, went to church and asked St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of desperate cases, for help. He promised that if he succeeded, he would build a shrine dedicated to the saint. Within five years, Thomas became a star, appearing in the TV sitcom "Make Room for Daddy", later known as The Danny Thomas Show. He then worked to fulfill his promise by building a children's hospital named after St. Jude and a fundraising organization to support it.
Thomas, whose parents were Lebanese immigrants, recruited others who shared his Middle Eastern roots to help. He used his fame to raise the hospital's profile, appearing in ads and hosting fundraising events starring celebrities such as Elvis Presley and Sammy Davis Jr.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was founded on February 4, 1962, in Memphis, Tennessee, with the premise that "no child should..." and treats patients up to the age of 21, and for some conditions, up to 25. It is a 501(c)(3) designated nonprofit medical corporation that focuses on treating children with catastrophic illnesses, particularly leukemia and other cancers. The hospital does not charge patients for care, but it only covers some cancer-related costs. While St. Jude is not a Catholic hospital, it is named after Thomas's patron saint, and its founding story is rooted in Thomas's Catholic faith and devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus.
The hospital's principal source of funding comes from the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC), a semi-independent entity founded in 1957 by Danny Thomas. ALSAC primarily raises funds and promotes awareness for St. Jude. In addition to ALSAC, St. Jude also receives donations from government grants, insurance recoveries, and various fundraising campaigns, which have attracted many evangelical donors. St. Jude is the largest and most highly regarded healthcare charity in the country, raising a record $2 billion in 2021 and 2022. However, treatment at St. Jude does not relieve all financial burdens for families, as they still incur costs for housing, travel, and food.
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The hospital is not Catholic but a secular institution unaffiliated with any religious organisation
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is not a Catholic institution. While it is named after St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of desperate cases, it is a secular institution with no affiliation to any religious organization.
The hospital was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, a devout Roman Catholic. In the late 1930s, Thomas was struggling financially and prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus for help. He vowed that if he succeeded, he would build a shrine for the poor, helpless, and hopeless to find comfort and aid. Thomas went on to become a successful comedian and actor, starring in the TV sitcom "Make Room for Daddy." He kept his promise by building St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and a fundraising organization to support it.
Memphis was chosen as the location for the hospital at the suggestion of Catholic Cardinal Samuel Stritch, who had been Thomas's spiritual advisor. The principal source of funding for the hospital comes from the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC), a semi-independent entity founded in 1957 by Danny Thomas.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a nonprofit medical corporation that provides treatment and research for pediatric catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers. The hospital treats patients up to the age of 21 and, for some conditions, up to the age of 25. While St. Jude does not charge patients for care, it does not cover all cancer-related costs, and families may still incur significant financial burdens during their child's treatment.
The hospital has an International Outreach Program to improve survival rates for children with catastrophic illnesses worldwide. Its fundraising campaigns have broad appeal, attracting many evangelical donors. St. Jude is the largest and most highly regarded healthcare charity in the country, raising a record $2 billion in 2021.
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The hospital is named after Thomas' patron saint, St. Jude Thaddeus
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a paediatric treatment and research centre headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas in 1962 and is a nonprofit medical corporation that focuses on treating children with catastrophic illnesses, especially leukaemia and other cancers. The hospital is named after Thomas' patron saint, St. Jude Thaddeus.
Thomas, a devout Roman Catholic, struggled to earn a living in the late 1930s. He went to church and asked St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of desperate cases, for help. He promised that if he succeeded, he would build a shrine for the poor, helpless, and hopeless to find comfort and aid. Thomas soon became a successful comedian and actor, starring in the TV sitcom "Make Room for Daddy", later known as The Danny Thomas Show.
True to his word, Thomas built St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as a shrine to St. Jude Thaddeus. He also founded a fundraising organisation to support the hospital, using his fame to raise its profile by appearing in ads and hosting fundraising events with celebrities like Elvis Presley and Sammy Davis Jr. Memphis was chosen as the location for the hospital at the suggestion of Catholic Cardinal Samuel Stritch, who had been Thomas' spiritual advisor since presiding over his confirmation in Toledo, Ohio.
While St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is not a Catholic hospital and is not affiliated with any religious organisation, it has attracted many evangelical donors. It is the largest and most highly regarded healthcare charity in the country, raising $2 billion in donations in 2021. The hospital covers the daily operating costs and treatment costs for patients, but families still face financial burdens from housing, travel, food, and loss of income during their child's treatment.
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St. Jude is the largest and most highly regarded healthcare charity in the US
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, a devout Roman Catholic, on February 4, 1962. Thomas had promised St. Jude Thaddeus that if the saint helped him succeed, he would build a shrine "where the poor and the helpless and the hopeless may come for comfort and aid." Thomas became a successful comedian and worked to fulfill his promise by building a children's hospital named after St. Jude.
While the hospital is named after Thomas's patron saint, it is not a Catholic institution. St. Jude is a secular organization not affiliated with any religious organization. However, it is affiliated with several institutions in the United States through a network of hematology clinics, hospitals, and universities united under its mission.
St. Jude is the largest and most highly regarded healthcare charity in the country. It is a 501(c)(3) designated nonprofit medical corporation that focuses on treating children with catastrophic illnesses, especially leukemia and other cancers. The hospital treats patients up to age 21 and, for some conditions, up to age 25. St. Jude also has an International Outreach Program to improve survival rates for children with catastrophic illnesses worldwide.
The hospital relies primarily on fundraising campaigns to support its mission. Each year, St. Jude's fundraisers send out hundreds of millions of letters, many featuring heart-wrenching photographs of children battling cancer. Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Sofia Vergara have also promoted the hospital in televised advertisements. In 2021, St. Jude received $2 billion in donations, with daily operating costs averaging $1.7 million. Patients are not charged for care, but the hospital does not cover all cancer-related costs, and families may still incur significant financial burdens during their child's treatment.
Despite some criticism regarding its finances, St. Jude remains a highly respected and influential healthcare charity. Its efforts have helped improve the survival rates of children with catastrophic illnesses globally, and it continues to be a leading institution in pediatric treatment and research.
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The hospital's fundraising campaigns attract many evangelical donors
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a non-profit medical corporation that focuses on treating children with catastrophic diseases, especially leukemia and other cancers. It was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, a devout Roman Catholic, in 1962. Thomas had promised St. Jude Thaddeus that if the saint helped him succeed, he would build a shrine for "the poor and the helpless and the hopeless". True to his word, Thomas founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as a shrine to St. Jude Thaddeus. Despite its name and its founder's faith, St. Jude is not a Catholic hospital. It is a secular institution with no affiliation to any religious organization.
Although St. Jude is not a Catholic or evangelical Christian organization, its fundraising campaigns have attracted many evangelical donors. For instance, Eric Trump, Donald Trump's son, has raised over $16 million for St. Jude's and remains a vocal advocate for the hospital. He appeared on televangelist James Robison's program "Life Today" to promote the organization. In addition, a facility for long-term housing at St. Jude's dedicated The Amy Grant Room for Music and Entertainment to recognize the Christian music star's work in promoting the organization.
St. Jude's fundraising campaigns are well-known for their heart-wrenching photographs of children battling cancer and celebrity endorsements from the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Sofia Vergara. In 2021, St. Jude's fundraising even extended to outer space with a former patient as a crew member on the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission. The hospital's fundraising efforts have been very successful, with $2 billion raised in 2021. St. Jude currently has $5.2 billion in reserves, enough to sustain the institution for the next four and a half years without any additional donations.
While St. Jude does not charge families for treatment, a ProPublica investigation found that the hospital does not cover all the costs associated with childhood cancer treatment, such as housing, travel, and food. As a result, many families incur significant financial burdens, including loss of income due to quitting jobs or taking leave to care for their child. Despite these challenges, St. Jude's fundraising campaigns continue to attract donors, including evangelical supporters, who are drawn to the hospital's mission of providing comfort and aid to children in need.
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Frequently asked questions
No, St. Jude Children's Hospital is not a Catholic hospital. It is a secular institution not affiliated with any religious organization. However, it was founded by devout Roman Catholic Danny Thomas, who named the hospital after his patron saint, St. Jude Thaddeus.
When Danny Thomas was struggling to earn a living in the 1930s, he went to church and asked St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of desperate cases, for help. He promised to build a shrine in the saint's honour if he succeeded.
St. Jude Children's Hospital is a nonprofit medical corporation that is principally funded by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC).
