Alicia Matthews Highlights St. Jude’s Fight Against Childhood Cancer
- St. Jude is a research hospital dedicated to finding cures for serious childhood diseases.
- Families never receive a bill for medical treatment, housing, or food at St. Jude.
- St. Jude's Partner in Hope program allows supporters to donate monthly to fund research and patient care.
The Rickey Smiley Morning Show recently welcomed Alicia Matthews, Director of Music and Audio Engagement at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, to talk about the organization’s ongoing mission to fight childhood cancer and support families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions).
Matthews shared that St. Jude has made remarkable progress in treating childhood diseases since the hospital first opened in 1964. At that time, the childhood cancer survival rate was only 20 percent. Today, thanks to decades of research and medical breakthroughs, that number has increased to about 80 percent.
“That’s because of the research that’s done at St. Jude,” Matthews explained.
While many people recognize St. Jude for its work in childhood cancer treatment, Matthews also highlighted the hospital’s work with other life-threatening conditions. In addition to cancer, St. Jude treats patients with sickle cell disease and pediatric AIDS. She noted that in the early 1980s, St. Jude doctors were able to cure sickle cell disease in a patient, a breakthrough many people may not know about.
Matthews explained that St. Jude stands out because it is not just a hospital—it is also a research center dedicated to finding cures for serious childhood diseases.
“We’re a research hospital,” she said. “We’re not just treating patients. We’re working to find cures.”
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE.
Another key part of the hospital’s mission is making sure families never have to worry about the cost of care. Matthews emphasized that families treated at St. Jude never receive a bill for medical treatment, housing, or food while their child is receiving care.
“That’s by design,” Matthews said. “And it’s all thanks to supporters.”
The majority of St. Jude’s funding comes from individual donors who contribute through programs like the Partner in Hope initiative. The program allows supporters to commit to donating at least $19 per month to help support the hospital’s research and patient care.
Those who sign up receive a St. Jude Music Gives T-shirt, and this year donors will also receive a St. Jude hoodie as part of the campaign.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP AND TAKE US WITH YOU ANYWHERE!
Host Rickey Smiley shared that he is also a Partner in Hope and encouraged listeners to join the effort.
During the segment, Smiley reflected on how challenging life can be for families whose children are battling serious illnesses. He reminded listeners that many parents must divide their time between caring for a sick child in the hospital and supporting other children at home.
“It’s already hard for parents,” Smiley said. “We just want to make sure families don’t have to worry about paying for treatment.”
Listeners were encouraged to support the cause by texting RICKEY to 785833 to become a Partner in Hope and help St. Jude continue its mission of finding cures and saving children’s lives.
HEAD BACK TO THE RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM HOMEPAGE
Alicia Matthews Highlights St. Jude’s Fight Against Childhood Cancer was originally published on rickeysmileymorningshow.com
