Hispanic Community Raises More Than $530,000 for St. Jude During 3rd Annual Promesa & Esperanza Radiothon

Latin America - español

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Oct 27, 2010, 10:23 ET

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Davidson Media Group (DMG) and its partner radio stations around the country recently held the 3rd annual Promesa y Esperanza (Promise and Hope) radiothon raising $533,201 in cash and pledges for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®. Held on Thursday, October 7 and Friday, October 8, the two-day radiothon was broadcasted in Charlotte and Durham, N.C., Kansas City, K.S., Louisville, K.Y., Minneapolis, Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, Norfolk, Va., Philadelphia, Providence, R.I., Richmond, V.A. and Springfield, Mass.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/DC89471)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101027/DC89471)

Participating radio stations dedicated more than 30 hours of programming in support of St. Jude and encouraged Hispanic radio listeners to pledge $20 a month as an Angel de Esperanza (Angel of Hope). Listeners also heard survival stories from Hispanic children who are currently undergoing treatment at St. Jude, including four-year-old Alejandro who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor. At St. Jude, Alejandro has received chemotherapy and radiation treatments at no cost to his family.

Fundraisers like Promesa y Esperanza help ensure that no child is ever denied treatment at St. Jude because of a family's inability to pay. In fact, since opening in 1962, the survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, has increased from 4 percent to 94 percent – thanks to research and treatment protocols developed at St. Jude.

"We are honored to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in its fight against childhood cancer and other deadly diseases for a third consecutive year. We appreciate the support of our Hispanic radio listeners across the country and we thank them for their generous donations," said Felix L. Perez, President and CEO of Davidson Media Group. The radio group owns 33 radio stations in 17 different markets throughout the United States.

"The Davidson Media Group and its listeners have clearly embraced the St. Jude mission of finding cures and saving children," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. "Through their unwavering support, they are helping to ensure St. Jude is able to continue giving hope to our patients and their families as they battle cancer and other deadly diseases."

In addition to administering medical care to patients at St. Jude, the hospital's International Outreach Program (IOP) shares its medical advancements with countries around the world. St. Jude has 20 official partner sites in 15 different countries around the world including Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela. Also, St. Jude trains thousands of international medical professionals through consultations, faculty visits to St. Jude and the Cure4Kids program.

Since its inception in 1997, Promesa y Esperanza has grown to be one of the most successful radio fundraising programs in the U.S. Hispanic market raising more than $25 million in pledges. Seventy five stations in more than 40 radio markets across the U.S. are committed to the program. For more information, visit www.promesayesperanza.org.

About St. Jude:

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family's inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. In 2010, St. Jude was ranked the most trusted charity in the nation in a public survey conducted by Harris Interactive, a highly respected international polling and research firm. St. Jude was also named the nation's top children's cancer hospital in the 2010-2011 Best Children's Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

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SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital