Football Legend and TV Host Michael Strahan and St. Jude Rally Fans to Party with a Purpose Feb. 3

St. Jude Game Day. Give Back. parties support kids battling cancer and other deadly diseases

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Football legend and "LIVE! with Kelly and Michael" host Michael Strahan and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^® are drafting football fans to party with a purpose on Feb. 3 by hosting St. Jude Game Day. Give Back. celebrations to raise funds that ensure that no family ever pays St. Jude for anything.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130129/DC50477)

St. Jude Game Day. Give Back. brings fans of all ages together around the sport they love to help kids battling cancer and other deadly diseases. In just two years, thousands of parties hosted across the country have raised more than $2 million for the lifesaving mission of St. Jude.

"It's been incredible to see how much this program has grown since we launched it just two years ago," said Strahan. "I've always loved how sports bring people together, and there's no better time, or better purpose, to rally everyone around St. Jude's incredible mission than football's biggest night of the year."

St. Jude's groundbreaking research helps kids like 9-year-old football fan Marion, who was sidelined by a brain tumor in 2011 but still manages to cheer on his favorite team, the New England Patriots. Today, Marion's tumor is stable thanks to radiation therapy provided by St. Jude doctors that targeted his cancer cells and spared the healthy parts of his brain.

"St. Jude provides pioneering care and treatment to children with life-threatening diseases, and thanks to the generosity of our donors, no family ever pays St. Jude for anything," said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude. "The St. Jude Game Day. Give Back. program is an easy and fun way for people to join our mission of finding cures and saving children during one of the most highly-anticipated sporting events of the year."

People can register their party today at stjude.org/gameday and gain instant access to a personal fundraising page, delicious tailgating recipes created by St. Jude's award-winning chef and a variety of party-planning tips.

New this year, SPX has donated "the ultimate tailgating truck," a Ford F-Series valued at $50,000 that will be auctioned at the Barret-Jackson Auction on January 18^th to benefit St. Jude. The truck is currently wrapped with a special St. Jude Game Day. Give Back. paint scheme and the winning bidder will receive a wrap of his or her favorite sports team. The truck features a tailgate cover that unfolds to reveal several custom features including a large flat screen TV, satellite dish, top-of-the-line grill, stereo system, sink, beverage dispenser and more.

Fans can give back by joining Michael and the St. Jude team and helping give kids like Marion a chance to experience a lifetime of game days. Visit the website to learn more, become a party host or make a donation.

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 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 ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital