Western Refining, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® launch frightfully adorable Halloween campaign

TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For most families, Halloween marks a time of vampires, cobwebs and ghoulish adventures. But for some families, Halloween season is just another reminder of the monster they are constantly battling – pediatric cancer.

This year, parents of 16,000 children in the U.S. will hear the words: "Your child has cancer." One in five of those children diagnosed with cancer won't survive. To continue the fight against pediatric cancer, companies like Western Refining are selling pinups for $1 and $5 to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^®.

Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays at St. Jude because patients and siblings of all ages look forward to wearing costumes and trick-or-treating at themed stations throughout the hospital. The fundraising efforts of partners like Western Refining are helping St. Jude patients celebrate these special moments.

During the month-long promotion, consumers who donate $1 or more will receive a Halloween-themed pinup that can be displayed at Western's Giant retail store locations across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado to show their support. The donations help St. Jude patients like Brady, who at the tender age of 4 years old was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome stemming from monosomy 7. He would need a bone marrow transplant to survive. When Brady's siblings Charlee and Bentley were tested for potential transplant matches, they were also diagnosed with monosomy 7. Their doctors in Florida referred the family to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®.

At St. Jude, Brady and his sister Charlee underwent bone marrow transplants. "I didn't realize how 100% financially supported you are here," said Brady's mother. Programs such as the St. Jude Halloween Pinup promotion are important because the majority of St. Jude funding comes from individual contributors. 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.

Today, Brady and his sister return to St. Jude every 6 months for their regular check-up appointments. He will be starting first grade this fall and likes to dress up as a superhero every chance that he gets.

"Every year, our customers and employees generously support the St. Jude Halloween pinup promotion.  The stores look forward to the opportunity to assist with raising donations for the children of St. Jude, and the customers respond amazingly well, increasing our donations year-over-year for the past 15 years," said R.C. Sprouse, Vice-President, Retail for Western Refining.  "I am expecting another banner year for our stores in support of St. Jude Children's Hospital and the children." 

To find a participating Giant store near you, visit www.giant.com. To learn more about St. Jude and the Halloween promotion, visit stjude.org/halloween.

About Western Refining
Western Refining, Inc. is an independent refining and marketing company headquartered in El Paso, Texas. The Company operates refineries in El Paso, Gallup, New Mexico and St. Paul Park, Minnesota. The Company's retail operations includes retail service stations and convenience stores in Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin, operating primarily through the Giant, Howdy's, and SuperAmerica brands.
Western Refining, Inc. also owns the general partner and approximately 61% of the limited partnership interest of Western Refining Logistics, LP.

More information about Western Refining is available at www.wnr.com.

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. St. Jude has the world's best survival rates for some of 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 discoveries 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 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).

SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Related Links

https://www.stjude.org