MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 15, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Celebrity radio hosts and Radio One's national network of praise stations, lent their voices to help in the fight against childhood cancer, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening diseases. Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids® national radio broadcast event corralled inspirational music stations across the country and raised more than $1.5 million for the kids of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®.
"We greatly appreciate our partnership with Radio One and its network of music stations and talents. It is a remarkable opportunity to celebrate the true spirit of giving while raising funds and awareness to help find cures for children fighting cancer, sickle cell and other life-threatening diseases," said Richard Shadyac, Jr., President and CEO for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "To celebrate a record fundraising year of the Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids program is an achievement. We are grateful of the support from our gospel and celebrity friends in support of the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital."
Radio One primarily targets urban listeners and is the top supporter of the annual radio fundraising event. A diversified media company with 55 broadcast stations in 15 markets, Radio One holds a syndication business (Reach Media), online digital platform (Interactive One), a television network (TV One) and creative brand content agency (One Solution).
This year's top fundraising stations are WPZE in Atlanta, Ga., WPRS in Washington, D.C. and the Radio One Detroit cluster, WCHB, WPRZ, WDMK and WGPR. Since 2008, the event has raised nearly $12 million in cash and pledges. Radio One deejays helped to share the mission and vision of St. Jude through testimonies from local patient families, updates on new research and new advances in treatment. Stations encouraged listeners to become St. Jude Partners in Hope by making a $20 monthly pledge.
"Radio One is proud of the effort of our stations, syndicated programs, employees and our highly engaged and loyal listeners for responding to our radiothon in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We once again exceeded our financial goal this year. This radio event across our stations proves the continued power of radio to emotionally connect with its listeners and move them to action," said David Kantor, president, Radio One and Reach Media.
WNNL in Raleigh, N.C., WPPZ in Philadelphia, Pa. and WPZS, WOSP, and WQNZ of Charlotte, N.C. also joined the chorus of stations and talent supporting this year's national fundraising effort.
Thanks to the support of generous donors, the hospital has the freedom to focus on saving kids regardless of their financial situation. The majority of St. Jude funding comes from individual contributors. Programs like Radio Cares for St. Jude Kids ensure that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so families can focus on what matters most – helping their child live.
This year's event welcomed support from national sponsor, Autotrader.com and celebrity music artists, including: Bishop Paul C. Morton, CeCe Winans, Jackie Clark Chisholm, Lecrae, the cast of the stage play Married but Single Too – Bill Bellamy, Chante Moore, and Lisa Raye, and so many others – who all volunteered their time at Radio One affiliate stations across the country answering phones from callers pledging to become St. Jude Partners in Hope.
To learn more visit stjude.org or stjuderadio.org.
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 Radio One, Inc.
Radio One, Inc. (radio-one.com), together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified media company that primarily targets African-American and urban consumers. It is one of the nation's largest radio broadcasting companies, currently owning and/or operating 55 broadcast stations in 15 urban markets in the United States. Through its controlling interest in Reach Media, Inc. (blackamericaweb.com), the Company also operates syndicated programming including the Tom Joyner Morning Show, the Russ Parr Morning Show, the Yolanda Adams Morning Show, the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, the DL Hughley Show, Bishop T.D. Jakes' Empowering Moments, and the Reverend Al Sharpton Show. Beyond its core radio broadcasting franchise, Radio One owns Interactive One (interactiveone.com), the fastest growing and definitive digital resource for Black and Latin Americans, reaching millions each month through social content, news, information, and entertainment. Interactive One operates a number of branded sites including News One (news), The Urban Daily (men), Hello Beautiful (women), Global Grind (Millennials) and social networking websites such as BlackPlanet and MiGente. The Company also owns TV One, LLC (tvone.tv), a cable/satellite network programming serving more than 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. Additionally, One Solution combines the dynamics of the Radio One's holdings to provide brands with an integrated and effectively engaging marketing approach that reaches 82% of Black Americans throughout the country.
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SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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