Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day Invites Artists, Fans and Venues To Share What #MusicGives You and Share and Tag @StJude on August 4

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, August 4, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^® will present Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day, an inaugural event that will allow bands, fans and venues across the United States to show their support and raise funds and awareness for the patients and families at St. Jude via social media. Artists, fans and venues are encouraged to support the St. Jude mission of Finding cures. Saving children by visiting www.stjude.org/musicgives and by sharing what music means to them on their personal social media channels tagging @StJude with the hashtag #MusicGives.

Also on Friday, August 4, St. Jude will host the "Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day" event on the campus of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. As part of the festivities, Country pop artist Kaylin Roberson will perform at 11:30 a.m. Kaylin will share her own story about overcoming adversity and will perform live for the first time her new song "Fighter in Me," written in honor of St. Jude patients. In addition to the performance, a patient party will include activities, games and lunch while celebrating the rich history of music related to founder Danny Thomas. 

"As a child who has been in the hospital I know what it feels like to be there, to be scared, to wonder what is next, the fear of scars and especially the importance of someone giving me a little hope for the future. That is what I try to bring to kids in schools and hospitals across the country…a message of hope and a reminder that it will all be OK, just believe in yourself, stay strong and have faith. I am proud to fundraise for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and ask my Facebook fans to support this amazing hospital to ensure that no families receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live, " Kaylin said.

"There is a tremendous healing power in music, so it is fitting that so many musicians have visited St. Jude over the decades to put a smile on the faces of such incredible and resilient patients," said Rick Shadyac, President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Support from rising stars like Kaylin reinforces our founder's early efforts and vision of uniting the music industry and mobilizing its platforms to further our mission."

Jason Thomas Gordon said, "When my grandfather founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 55 years ago, some of the first people he contacted about helping were musicians like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Ray Charles. It's an honor to build upon that legacy by reaching out to our music industry today. I look forward to watching 'Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day' grow into a new tradition during the summer concert season."

Music gives us all a message of hope, love, strength, and so much more. These messages are even more important and meaningful to the patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

About Music Gives to St. Jude Kids
Music Gives to St. Jude Kids mobilizes the music community — artists, fans, corporate partners and sponsors — to join us in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases to raise funds and awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^®. St. Jude has a long history of support from the music industry that goes back to the hospital's beginning in 1962 when our founder, Danny Thomas, called on entertainers such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and more to join his cause. Since then, numerous artists and musicians have visited the hospital in support of the St. Jude mission and Danny's belief that no child should die in the dawn of life. Jason Thomas Gordon, grandson of Danny Thomas and lead singer of the band Kingsize, created Music Gives to St. Jude Kids to continue to bring St. Jude and music together to further his family's legacy and make a difference in the lives of the kids of St. Jude.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).

About Kaylin Roberson
When Kaylin was 9 years old she was attacked by a family dog. The attack was so awful that it tore open her mouth, lip, opposing cheek and part of her eye leaving her in need of life support, hundreds of stitches, and facial reconstruction.  Unfortunately, this was just start of this ordeal, going back to school after this incident Kaylin learned quickly that she had an entirely new set of challenges to face.  Kaylin for the first time had to experience real bullying, being made fun of, laughed at and taunted all because of the scars left on her face.  She felt very alone and when she felt she had no one else to turn to she turned to the one thing that gave her peace and happiness, and that was music.

Nine years later Kaylin has written and recorded over 50 inspiring songs and videos with her most recent being, "Mistakes", about a young girl's mistakes while learning the art of relationships at a young age.  She has also won local and national awards testifying her ability to sing, write, and connect with others through her music.

She also never has forgotten her time spent in the hospital, recovery and the loneliness she felt and knew that had to be a priority to make sure that she could give back to the same kids, who like her; have to lay there in a hospital sometimes with no friends or visitors coming for long periods of time.  So along with visits to youth Kaylin has made it her passion to get out to the hospitals and see, meet, and perform for as many of these kids as possible.  If she can do nothing more than share a little music to brighten someone's day during a very dark time then that is all she needs.  Kaylin feels this interaction is very therapeutic for both her and the kids she sings for. To learn more about Kaylin Roberson, visit www.kaylinroberson.com.

SOURCE ALSAC / St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Related Links

http://www.stjude.org