Dozens Of Artists Take Part In Country Cares For St. Jude Kids
Earlier this month, dozens of Country artists packed their bags and headed West on Tennessee's "Music Highway" to participate in the Country Cares St. Jude Kids Seminar at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
Earlier this month, dozens of Country artists, including Old Dominion, Charles Kelley, Trace Adkins, and Justin Moore, packed their bags and headed West on Tennessee’s “Music Highway” to participate in the Country Cares For St. Jude Kids Seminar at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. The annual event also hosted 1,000 Country music industry leaders and was held as the kick off to Country radio’s fundraising efforts for St. Jude in 2016.
Country Cares, now in its 27th year, was co-founded by Alabama’s Randy Owen and has raised $600 million dollars for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to date. Organizers hope to bring that total closer to the $1 billion mark.
While in Memphis, artists and fellow members of the music industry were invited to visit the hospital to see first hand the incredible work that St. Jude does for its patients who are impacted by childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. They also learned several surprising statics about St. Jude. For example, it costs nearly $2 million a day to run the hospital. Here’s why: St. Jude not only provides a state of the art facility and top notch healthcare for the children, but also ensures that no family ever receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food. For Charles Kelley, that’s what stands out most about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“The thing I like the best about St. Jude is the fact that the parents don’t have to pay,” Kelley told Sounds Like Nashville and other reporters while visiting the hospital. “To go through this, and then to have the financial burden and worry about, ‘Oh gosh, is my insurance going to cover this or is it not?’ That, to me, is the greatest thing about this place.”
During their visit to St. Jude, artists had the opportunity to interact directly with patients, which is something that always sticks with Country Cares veteran Justin Moore, especially because he has three daughters of his own. He told reporters that he had just played a few rounds of Go Fish with a patient who was wearing the same princess dress that his daughters always wear. And for the record, he didn’t win.
While many anticipate that St. Jude would be a sad, dreary place, it’s quite the opposite. “It’s one of the most positive, uplifting places on the planet,” Moore shared. We couldn’t agree more.
That evening. the artists gathered with patients at the nearby Peabody Hotel to play games and shoot some hoops. Frankie Ballard enjoyed playing basketball with several patients while Brooke Eden spent time with an energetic 18-month-old named Gunnar, who is currently undergoing Proton Therapy. At one point in the evening, Moore and St. Jude patient Mac had everyone in the room anxiously watching their epic game of life size Jenga.
Throughout the weekend, Country Cares participants also attended workshops, including a speech by surprise guest Clare Bowen of ABC’s hit show Nashville. In her emotional address to the industry-filled crowd, Bowen detailed her childhood battle with cancer and discussed her brother’s current cancer battle.
The seminar wrapped with a night full of great music. Participants were treated to a surprise songwriters round from Dan + Shay, Chris Young, Mac McAnally, and Randy Owen.
Visiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was a life-changing moment for everyone, including Old Dominion’s Trevor Rosen. “It’s absolutely amazing,” he told reporters. “I’ve heard about it, but actually coming here and seeing it in person gives you an entirely different perspective.”
Thanks to St. Jude’s efforts, the overall childhood cancer survival rate rose from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened its doors in 1962. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is currently working to raise that survival rate to 90 percent and promises not to stop until no child dies from cancer.
You can help too! Click the “donate now” button below to contribute to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
