What Does St. Jude Mean To Me?

I was asked a question the other day that really made me think; what does St. Jude mean to you?

Where do I begin?

If I've done the math right, this is the 18th Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon I have been a part of here at Q98.5. I have been to the hospital several times, and every stop there, every radiothon, is life changing to me.

When I started helping to raise money for St. Jude I was a young, single, carefree woman in her 20's. I was passionate about St. Jude because I had lost family members to cancer and wanted to obliterate the word cancer from the planet.

Then I became a mom in 2013, and my whole world changed.

I hear the St. Jude stories differently now.

I cry tears for the kids who literally have to journey through Hell on Earth to hopefully earn their "Survivor" badge.

My heart bleeds for the parents that have to figure out how to put on a brave face for their child, when all they want to do is curl up in a ball and cry.

I cannot tolerate hearing one more story about another child dying from cancer.

So what does St. Jude mean to me now?

Hope, love, determination, strength, bravery, kindness, and every other thing that is good in this world.

How many places or people in this day and age do you know that will give someone all the support, care, love and things that they need without expecting something in return?

Not many I'm guessing.

This is exactly what St. Jude Children's Hospital does on a daily basis for kids and families all across the globe. Out of the around 240,000 children that are diagnosed with cancer each year around the world, St. Jude treats the worst of the worst at no cost to their parents. If they aren't treating them physically at the hospital in Memphis, they are sharing information and protocols with doctors and medical institutions worldwide.

St. Jude's main goal is to not only save the child, but to make sure the parents do not have to worry about anything but helping their child live.

It takes A LOT of money to continue this quest, and the bulk of it comes from monthly donors like you and I. Seriously. Seventy five percent of the hospital's daily operational costs are covered by individual donations. How amazing is that?!?!

Please become a Partner In Hope now for $20 a month. Together we can save lives and amazing children all over the world!

Catch Lil Zim on ‘Q98.5 Mornings with Lil Zim & JB’ on Q98.5 from 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook