Rich Eisen honored with the 2017 Pat Summerall Award during Super Bowl LI week at Legends for Charity® Dinner

Eisen, one of television's most visible sports anchors and personalities became the 12^th recipient of the Pat Summerall Award, named in honor of the late legendary sports broadcaster who was valued as the voice of the NFL for almost 50 years.  In addition to his outstanding broadcasting career, Eisen, who served as the emcee of this prestigious event for three years became a key advocate for St. Jude by adding a charitable component to his annual Run Rich Run at the NFL Scouting Combine. Rich's campaign has helped to raise more than $300,000 for the kids of St. Jude.

Sportscasters and NFL luminaries in attendance included Joe Buck, Mike Tirico, Dan Patrick, Archie Manning, Kurt Warner, Steve Mariucci and Brian Baldinger but it was St. Jude patient Austin that touched the hearts of nearly 500 attendees.  He is an aspiring sportscaster and at age 15 has interviewed Peyton Manning, Rich Eisen, Joe Buck, and Coach Gary Kubiak to name a few. During the dinner program, Austin invited Joe Buck and Rich Eisen on stage for a little fun and proudly announced he has been cancer free for nine years, which brought everyone in the room to standing ovations.  

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent when the hospital first opened more than 50 years ago. Unlike any other hospital, the majority of funding for St. Jude comes from individual contributors. Because of the support from Legends for Charity title sponsor KBR and other dedicated supporters, no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, because St. Jude believes all a family should worry about is helping their child live. 

"There's no greater cause in the world than finding cures for our sickest children," said Rich Eisen. "And no one does that better than St. Jude because its families never have to worry about paying the hospital for anything. As a father of three children, I can only imagine how great a relief that must be. Having witnessed handiwork of St. Jude team first-hand and presenting the Summerall Award to colleagues at previous Legends for Charity fundraisers, I could not be more humbled to be named the recipient of this year's honor."

"We are incredibly thankful to Rich Eisen for his continued support of our lifesaving work and commitment to raising awareness and funds for St. Jude throughout his broadcasting career and during the 'Run Rich Run' campaign," said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Rich has been a fantastic advocate and powerful voice for our mission, serving as the emcee for Legends for Charity for three years and using his platform as a respected journalist to demonstrate his passion for young athletes and our patients, which is why we honored him with the 2017 Pat Summerall award."

The Legends for Charity dinner has been honored with seven prestigious Telly Awards. The annual event is produced by Cheryl DeLeonardis, founder and CEO of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions.

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 life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, 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 or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).

About Legends for Charity®
Legends for Charity® is an annual national event held during Super Bowl Weekend to present The Pat Summerall Award to a deserving broadcaster. Created by Cheryl DeLeonardis of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions, it is always held at the prestigious NFL headquarters hotel that celebrates national sports legends while raising awareness and funding for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Since its inception more than eleven years ago, the event has raised more than $4 million for St. Jude and has become a cornerstone event during the biggest weekend in professional sports opening the world of sports broadcasters to the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital