The Memphis Grizzlies announced that they have committed to raising $2.5 million over 10 years to continue helping St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases.
The commitment cements a longstanding and robust partnership between the Grizzlies and St. Jude. The Grizzlies regularly hosts St. Jude patient families at games and events, and their coaches and players frequently visit the St. Jude campus to provide patients a well-deserved distraction from the rigors of treatment. The team serves as the NBA hosts and its players are prominent ambassadors within the NBA’s league-wide “Hoops for St. Jude Week,” which raises awareness and funds for the hospital each spring.
“Memphis and St. Jude are fortunate to have a marquee sports franchise like the Memphis Grizzlies that attracts national attention to our city and to our lifesaving mission, and is such a positive force in our community,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr. CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “The Grizzlies have been a true partner to St. Jude, supporting us in ways well beyond their generous financial contributions. The awareness they’ve helped bring to our mission is invaluable, and we are grateful for their incredible partnership.”
To celebrate the Grizzlies’ extension of the longstanding commitment, St. Jude is naming the basketball court adjacent to the newly-named Tri-Delta Place in honor of the team. Plans also include refreshing and adding permanent signage to the court. The Grizzlies will also be represented within the hospital on a wall reserved to honor the many corporate partners whose support helps St. Jude find cures and save children.
“Our partnership is about supporting St. Jude’s mission. We couldn’t be more pleased to renew our partnership with them for another 10 years and work collaboratively on new and innovative ways to fundraise,” Grizzlies COO Jason Wexler said. “Our charge is to harness the power of sport to transform lives and we are proud to pass the torch to Tri-Delta fraternity and walk hand-in-hand with them in our common commitment to St. Jude.”
Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened 50 years ago, and St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. Best of all, support from the Grizzlies and others help ensure that no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
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 deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, 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 and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Visit us online or follow St. Jude on Facebook and Twitter.