The Fight For Children with Cancer Is Underway But Just Begun

The first day of Q98.5's Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon is nearly complete but there is so much ground to cover. Like all charitable organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the typical amount of donations normally seen. It has slowed things down big time, like attempting to run across knee=deep mud. This is where I'm asking you for a favor. I'm going to share some important facts about St. Jude that you might not be aware of. I'm asking you to share these facts with friends, family, and coworkers to spread the word. The hope is to have a "unprecedented" radiothon, in a positive way. If Shannon Zimmerman and I can work 24 hours in a two-day period to get the word out on this life-changing organization, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the least you can do is simply share this article. The best-case scenario is you spending $19 a month, or $.63 cents a day, and clicking this link to becoming a Partner In Hope with St. Jude. If this is something you simply cannot afford, do not feel bad. I understand the devastating financial effort the pandemic has had on families.

If this is the first time you're learning about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the most important fact is families never receive a bill for treatment, lodging, travel, food, and anything and everything you can think of related to a family's need. The hospital was opened 59 years ago with the mission of not only eradicating childhood cancer and catastrophic diseases, but also the promise to treat any child regardless of race, religion, financial means, etc. Considering the segregated state of the United States (especially in the south) at that time, this was an incredible objective. To this day, children from all over the world have been street at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and across the world as a hospital in your area. St. Jude also free shares all their research with the world, no matter if the patient is a child or adult. But, let's focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Jude is a part of that battle as well.

1. St. Jude launched the first global COVID-19 Observatory and Resourse Center for Childhood Cancer to deliver resources for oncologists who are treating kids with cancer who are infected with COVID or at-risk of acquiring the virus. Since it launched in May, the Resource Center has been used by health care professionals in more than 100 countries.

2. St. Jude has been able to minimize the impact of the virus among the St. Jude community, allowing the focus to continue on saving kids all over the world.

3. In 72 hours, a space in St. Jude Garden was transformed into a drive-through testing center for employees who might be infected. St. Jude launched an unprecedented program for random testing of clinical staff. The tests provided an additional safety measure to the symptom screen that all employees received each day.

4. St. Jude repurposed 3D printers across campus to manufacture medical face shields when they were in short supply. This quick thinking helped St. Jude staff continue their work and focus on what is most imporant: Finding Cure. Saving Children.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital also has discovered a treatment for COVID-19 while conducting research in their on-campus laboratories. Yes, scientists have remained on the job during this pandemic.

In short, the work done by St. Jude is unlike anything you will find anywhere in the world.

Finally, why should you donate to an organization that isn't based out of Rockford? The answer is simple, families all over the world can benefit from St. Jude's services, research, and protocol - even in northern Illinois.

JB Love is ½ of  Q98.5's Lil Zim & JB In The Morning, weekday mornings from 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.