About the 2022 St. Jude Country Cares for Kids Radiothon
Entertainer Danny Thomas founded St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis back in 1962. Since then, the hospital has become a leader in all the things we know and love about hope and inspiration.
But the best thing about St. Jude, is that children and families who come to the hospital for cancer treatments never have to pay anything. Nothing at all. No matter what. It’s an inspirational model that helps give families comfort during the most difficult time of their lives.
So, where does that funding come from for expensive medical treatments, housing, travel, and more? Well from our wonderful supporters. That’s why we do the Country Cares for Kids Radiothon.
WKML has been a partner with St. Jude technically longer than the actual Radiothon program has existed.
Randy Owen, the lead singer of country mega-group Alabama, started the Country Cares program back in 1989. He realized that the music industry could easily come together to help fundraise for St. Jude, and boy did they. As of 2019, the fundraisers have collectively brought in more than $800 million for the kids at St. Jude.
More than 200 radio stations across the country partner in the effort, and the Country Cares program has spawned other genres to get involved.
But why St. Jude? Well, the results are clear. St. Jude is an open research hospital, freely sharing its research results with other hospitals worldwide. These efforts have helped survival rates for most childhood cancers to go from only 4 percent to now 94(!) percent!
So, for two days every year, KML is proud to step away from our traditional programming, and share with you the stories of the patients and families of St. Jude. These stories, backed with songs from Country Cares musical superstars, help inspire our caring, and generous community to give.
You can become a Partner in Hope today by DONATING HERE or by calling 1-800-789-2044. Your $20 monthly donation will get you a This Shirt Saves Lives shirt, and will help us get closer to finding cures for childhood cancers.
