Businesses Across the Country ask Customers to Help "Give Hope" to Kids Battling Cancer by Donating $1 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®

MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This spring, businesses across the country are giving hope to kids battling cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases by encouraging customers to donate $1 or more during checkout to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as part of the annual Give thanks. Give hope.™ campaign.

In just two years, the campaign has rallied numerous businesses across the country and raised more than $1 million, helping give hope to thousands of kids receiving treatment at St. Jude. In 2009, ten-year-old St. Jude patient Ana was found to be suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of cancer in children. Ana and her family received hopeful news when they learned she would be able to receive the lifesaving treatment at St. Jude regardless of the family's ability to pay. In fact, Ana is one of thousands of kids around the world who have benefited from the lifesaving research and treatment at St. Jude. The survival rate for Ana's type of cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, has risen from just 4 percent in 1962 to 94 percent today thanks to St. Jude's pioneering research.

"Our partners play a critical role in our success by providing their customers with an easy and convenient way to support the St. Jude mission of finding cures and saving children," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. "The funds raised during this campaign help give hope, $1 at a time, to patients like Ana and other precious children who are fighting for their lives."

Fry's Food Stores, the top fundraising partner for the 2010 campaign, joins more than 2,600 restaurants, grocery stores and other retail locations nationwide in encouraging customers to make a donation to St. Jude during the months of April and May with 100 percent of donations helping St. Jude fulfill its mission of finding cures and saving children. It costs $1.6 million to operate the hospital every day and more than 70 percent of that funding comes from the public through programs like Give thanks. Give hope.

St. Jude plays a unique role in the charitable and healthcare landscape, and was named the No. 1 children's cancer hospital in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report 2010-11 Best Children's Hospital ranking. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance and no child is ever denied treatment because of the family's inability to pay. Today, St. Jude continues to provide the best possible treatment to its patients while continuing to conduct the breakthrough research that is changing the way some of the deadliest childhood diseases are treated.

To read Ana's full story or to find a participating partner near you, visit www.tg.stjude.org/givethanksgivehope.

About St. Jude

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family's inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. St. Jude was named the nation's top children's cancer hospital in the 2010-11 Best Children's Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, go to www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on www.facebook.com/stjude and www.twitter.com/stjude.

SOURCE ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital