George and Martha Coleman, Kristin Van Nort,
Roy Meyer, and Nichole Vazquez (photo by Ed Ahrens)
At a recent Kiwanis Club Robson Ranch general meeting, the club welcomed guest speakers representing St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Local Robson residents George and Martha Coleman gave a heartfelt introduction to the work of St. Jude. George then introduced Kristin Van Nort, philanthropic advisor/gift planner for St. Jude, and Nichole Vazquez, regional development director, Dallas/Fort Worth Region.
Kristin started by giving background on St. Jude, quoting its founder (in 1962) Danny Thomas, “No child should die in the dawn of life.” Through a slideshow and short video, Kristin helped paint a picture of what St. Jude has done, is doing, and will do. Some highlights of St. Jude.
St. Jude Is:
A cutting-edge research hospital that shares any breakthroughs or new treatment methods.
A treatment hospital whose survival rate is now 80%, up from 20% in 1962.
A degree-granting medical center.
A trust/non-profit organization whose majority of funds comes from public donations.
Referred Families:
Never receive a bill for treatment, housing, or other expenses.
Children are accepted, regardless of race, economic, ethnic, or religious standing.
Children are accepted from all 50 states and globally. In fact, 12 Ukrainian children were accepted within weeks of the Ukraine war starting.
Most common cancer is leukemia, with treatment often lasting three years.
Future of St. Jude:
St. Jude is in the midst of an $11.5 billion expansion over the next six years.
$3.7 billion for ongoing research.
$1.0 billion for research in other childhood diseases.
Campus expansion with new facility with eight floors for research, 140 more rooms for housing for families, and additions to the outpatient facilities.
Local Kiwanis Club members greatly appreciated the presentation and welcome all Robson Ranch residents to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in their charity giving plans. The club presented St. Jude with a donation at the meeting.
For more information about St. Jude, see their website www.StJude.org, or Kristin Van Nort can be reached at [email protected] or 405-403-0623.