21st Annual St. Jude Halloween Promotion Asks Shoppers To Pin Up a Pumpkin to Help "Treat" Patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^® celebrates five decades of finding cures that have saved the lives of countless children, the 21^st Annual St. Jude Halloween Promotion kicks off today asking shoppers to donate $1 to pin up a pumpkin at their local retail, grocery, convenience stores and restaurants to help kids fighting cancer and other deadly diseases.

During the month-long promotion, patrons are reminded to donate $1 or more in exchange for a pumpkin-shaped pinup they can personalize. Last year the promotion celebrated a record-breaking year, raising more than $7.2 million. Since the program began in 1992, MillerCoors, its distributors and other retailers have raised more than $59 million, $1 at a time, for the children of St. Jude.

Halloween is a popular holiday at St. Jude full of fun, themed Trick-or-Treating stations for patients and siblings of all ages to enjoy as they dress in their favorite costumes. "Every Halloween we go all out at St. Jude to make sure that our patients have the trick-or-treating experience of a lifetime," said Richard Shadyac Jr. , CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Programs like the annual St. Jude Halloween promotion helps us provide these special moments, because every dollar donated fuels the pioneering research that leads to exceptional care so that St. Jude patients and their families can look forward to enjoying many more holidays together."

Starting Oct. 1, St. Jude Halloween pinups can be found at retail establishments across the country. National partners include: Fox and Hound Restaurant Group, Buffalo Wild Wings, Casey's General Store, Hess Corporation, Houchen's Industries, EZ Mart, Palm Beach Tan, Huddle House, Pizza Patron, Petland, zpizza, Al's Formal Wear, PriceChopper and several more. Visit the website for a complete list. To find a participating location near you or to make a donation, visit stjude.org/halloween.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Since opening 50 years ago, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has changed the way the world treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. No family ever pays St. Jude for the care their child receives and, for every child treated here, thousands more have been saved worldwide through St. Jude discoveries. The hospital has played a pivotal role in pushing U.S. pediatric cancer survival rates from 20 to 80 percent overall, and is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. It is also a leader in the research and treatment of blood disorders and infectious diseases in children. St. Jude was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas , who believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. Join that mission by visiting stjude.org or following us on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital