St. Jude

(Many of you got this message from me earlier this afternoon, but for those of you that didn't...)

As many of you know, last year Jennifer and I participated in the St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon. This year, Jennifer’s not going to be able to run with me (she’ll be 4 weeks out from delivering baby boy #3!), but I’m looking forward to logging a lot of miles and raising a lot of money for the kids of St. Jude. I would love for you to help me with that.

Did you know that...
· St. Jude treats 250 patients every day on an outpatient basis and maintains 78 inpatient beds?
· St. Jude has about 5,400 patients in active status?
· During the past three years, 85 cents of every dollar went to current or future needs?
· St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and around the world?
· St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's daily operating costs are nearly $1.4 million?
· In 1962, the survival rate for ALL was 4 percent. Today, it's 94 percent. Hodgkin disease is 90 percent; Medulloblastoma is 85 percent; Wilms tumor is 90 percent.Protocols have brought survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20 percent when the hospital opened to more than 70 percent today?

Maybe you’re wondering, “That’s great, but what can I do?”

First, consider sponsoring me. Check out my race website at www.mystjudeheroes.org/fred and donate online. It’s really easy. If you have any trouble, contact me and I’ll walk you through it.

Second, consider running with me. St. Jude needs all the help they can get. Register online as a St. Jude Hero and join my fundraising team, Team Evan. Team Evan is named for my buddy, Evan Twilbeck, living proof that the work St. Jude does is worthwhile. Register early; this race fills up fast! We can do more together than we can on our own.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. My buddy Juston Gates at FBC Saltillo replied to my earlier e-mail and reminded me that his son, Caleb, is just shy of being declared 3 years cancer-free thanks to St. Jude's research. This really is a worthwhile organization!