Why Do So Many Country Artists Support St. Jude?
As a country music fan, year after year, it’s almost certain that you’ve found your favorite country music artists supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Whether through benefit concerts, posts on social media, or rocking the ‘This Shirt Saves Lives’ tee, it’s pretty clear that St. Jude holds a very special place in the country music community.
While the answer may seem obvious by brief definition alone, — St. Jude leads the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. To learn even more, Country Swag took a visit to St. Jude during the annual ‘Country Cares Seminar’ this fall.
Launched more than 30 years ago, Randy Owen from the band Alabama stood up during Nashville’s Annual Country Radio Seminar and asked his friends, colleagues, and radio partners to join together to help St. Jude and the children they serve, and so, the ‘Country Cares Seminar’ was born. The program unites more than 200 radio stations, influencers, and dozens of country music artists annually to raise awareness and support for St. Jude.
During the seminar, all guests are invited to tour St. Jude, located in Memphis, Tennessee, and see firsthand the inspirational work that the teams at St. Jude are doing. Upon the first introduction, guests learn about the organization and what exactly makes it so impactful and so special. Perhaps the most remarkable part is that thanks to very generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food. Families receive the best care in the world, at no cost, making the worst and darkest days of their lives a little bit brighter – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
In addition, St Jude’s research facility and labs are open 24/7 and freely share their findings, protocols, and breakthroughs, so that every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands of more children.
Thanks to generous donations, the brilliant teams at St. Jude have access to equipment that costs millions and millions of dollars, which just not all doctors and scientists everywhere have access to. This not only gives them the freedom to focus on what matters most — saving kids regardless of their financial situation, but they are able to share their discoveries and patients everywhere are getting treatments that were started at St. Jude. Consequently, when you’re donating to St. Jude, you’re not just donating to one hospital in one city, you’re funding the source and if speaking to cancer patients around the world, a common thread may be that many have been treated by protocols that have been sourced by St. Jude. St. Jude is actively working towards a world where no family ever has to hear the words “you have cancer”.
Seeing the work, hearing stories from doctors and patients alike, and understanding the experiences at St. Jude make it easy to recognize the importance of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and instantly inspires guests to get involved and help raise awareness. Next time you see your favorite artists talking about and supporting St. Jude it’s likely because they were able to have these experiences too and see firsthand the amazing work done at St. Jude.
Words like “inspiring”, “joy”, “positivity” and “healing” are just some of the many terms that came to mind for country artists like Breland, Kameron Marlowe, and Randy Owen, during their recent visit to St. Jude, as seen in the video above.
There are great research institutions, great hospitals, and great charities. St. Jude is all three. You can join the cause and help support St. Jude and the incredible initiative set forth by many country artists and celebrities alike with the ‘This Shirt Saves Lives’ t-shirt. For a monthly donation of just $19, you get the exclusive tee and all funds directly support the incredible St. Jude organization.
It costs over a million dollars daily to operate St. Jude each and every day. Donations allow St. Jude to continue to help children everywhere.
Join us and many of your favorite country artists like Carly Pearce, Sam Hunt, Dierks Bentley, and Kelsea Ballerini, and help save lives.
To donate and get your own “This Shirt Saves Lives” t-shirt head to: musicgives.org.
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