St. Jude & Kay Jewelers St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® opened its doors in 1962 with the mission that "no child should die in the dawn of life." Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas, St. Jude specializes in helping children from all over the world overcome cancer and other catastrophic diseases. In 1999, we were looking for a way to give back to the communities in which we operate across the country. Inspired by the courage of the kids of St. Jude, we embarked on our partnership in caring with St.Jude.
This year, we presented St. Jude with a check for more than $3.9 million, our largest donation ever. Thanks to the generosity of our customers and our team members, we have raised $18 million in just 10 years. Our most recent commitment is the Kay Kafe — a $16 million expansion and renovation of the hospital cafeteria — our largest commitment to date. The Kay Kafe opened in June 2008.
Pictured above from left to right: Mark Light, Kay Jewelers President and CEO; Season, St. Jude Patient Chase's mother; Chase, St. Jude Patient and Tryna Kochanek, Kay Jewelers Senior Vice President, Field Operations.
Located in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude is the largest childhood cancer research center in the world in terms of patients enrolled and successfully treated. Patient survival rates have risen significantly from 20% to 70%, and St. Jude has treated children from across the country and around the world. Today, approximately 5,100 patients actively receive treatment from St. Jude.
With the continued support of customers and the commitment of our team members, we look forward to helping St. Jude make the world a better place for children.
