The 14th Annual B104-Cumulus Radio Bloomington Radiothon is taking place today and tomorrow (2/10 & 2/11/22). We are posing the simple question “What If” to you…

WHAT IF… Danny Thomas had not founded the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 1962?

Many, many more children would be losing their life to cancer. The overall survival rate for childhood cancer has gone from 20% before St. Jude to more than 80% now. The most common form of childhood cancer is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). ALL had a survival rate of just 4% in 1960. Thanks to research and developments at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ALL now has a survival rate of 94%!

WHAT IF… St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital charged parents for the cost of treating their child that insurance did not cover?

Most parents would not be able to afford the cost of treating their child for cancer. The average cost of treating a child at St. Jude is $480,000. There are some treatments that go far beyond that amount. Many parents would have to just sit by and watch their child be taken from them by cancer.

WHAT IF… St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital didn’t cover the cost of travel, housing and food for families of St. Jude patients?

Families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food from St. Jude. This allows parents and siblings to be with the children being treated. This has to be a very scary situation for a child to be going through. If St. Jude did not cover these additional costs those children would not have the comfort of their families and would be facing it all alone.

WHAT IF… people stopped donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital?

87% of the day-to-day cost of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital comes from individual donations from people just like you. Additionally, 82 cents out of every dollar donated goes to treatment and research. Without those donations St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital would quite simply cease to exist.

WHAT IF… It was your child, grandchild, niece, nephew or friend’s child that got the devastating news that they have cancer?

You would want that child that you love so much to get the best treatment in the world to have the best chance to beat the cancer and live. That treatment is found at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It is all of these “What Ifs” and many more that should make you want to become a Partner In Hope with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Join the St. Jude family by calling 1-800-374-4995 and pledging just $19 a month on a credit or debit card.

When you do you will get the “Love Music, Stop Cancer” St. Jude T-Shirt. You will also get the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping St. Jude as they continue Finding Cures and Saving Children!

By: Buck Stevens