What year was St. Jude founded?

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened on February 4, 1962, in Memphis, TN. Since then, we’ve been working tirelessly to save the lives of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. 

Describe St. Jude, including history and the services you provide.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Our story began with founder Danny Thomas, a struggling entertainer who made a promise to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, that if he found success, he would build a shrine to help children in need. That promise became a reality when St. Jude opened its doors in 1962.

As the first fully integrated pediatric hospital in the South, St. Jude was founded on the belief that every child deserves a chance to live, regardless of race, religion, or financial status. Today, St. Jude is both a world-renowned treatment center and a leading research institution, freely sharing its discoveries with medical professionals around the globe.

Since opening, St. Jude has helped increase the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and we will not stop until no child dies from cancer.

What makes St. Jude stand out?

St. Jude is committed to providing world-class patient care while driving groundbreaking research that leads to cures. What truly sets us apart is our promise to families: they never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food.



Unlike most hospitals, the majority of St. Jude’s funding comes from generous donors, allowing families to focus entirely on helping their child heal. This unique model removes financial barriers to care and ensures that every family can access life-saving treatment regardless of their ability to pay.

What inspires your work and what sets you apart?

Our mission is simple: Finding Cures. Saving Children.®

What inspires us every day is knowing that the breakthroughs made at St. Jude reach far beyond our campus in Memphis. We freely share research, knowledge, and technology with doctors and scientists around the world, helping improve outcomes for children everywhere.

Through initiatives such as Cure4Kids®, St. Jude Cloud, and St. Jude Global, we provide clinicians and researchers with access to critical resources, pediatric cancer data, and collaborative networks that accelerate progress against childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

Solving childhood cancer is a long-term global challenge that requires sustained commitment, innovation, and partnership. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and community partners, we are able to continue this life-saving work and give more children the chance to grow up healthy and thrive.

Describe an exciting recent highlight.

One exciting local milestone is that the St. Jude Houston Walk found a new home in Fort Bend County in 2025 and will return to Constellation Field in Sugar Land on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

This free family-friendly community event offers multiple ways to get involved. Local businesses can support the event through sponsorship opportunities, and we will recruit approximately 250 volunteers to help make the day a success. Individuals and teams are also invited to participate in the 5K walk.

There is no registration fee, and participants who raise $100 or more will receive an event T-shirt. In addition to the walk, attendees can enjoy games, food, face painting, balloon artists, and other family activities.



To learn more or get involved, visit: www.stjude.org/walkhouston

What’s an interesting fact about St. Jude that most people don’t know?



Many people know that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food. What they may not realize is the extensive support services provided to help children and families navigate their journey.

These services include:

• An on-site school that helps patients stay on track academically.
• Counseling and psychosocial support for patients, parents, and siblings.
• Child Life Specialists who help children cope with treatment and hospitalization.
• Concierge services that assist families with everyday needs, such as grocery delivery and transportation.
• Translation and interpreter services for families who speak languages other than English.
• Numerous additional programs designed to support the emotional, educational, and practical needs of the entire family.



We care for the whole family—not just the diagnosis.

What is the most valuable aspect of being a member of the Chamber?

We joined the Central Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce to deepen our connections within the Fort Bend County community and build meaningful partnerships with local businesses and leaders.

The life-saving work of St. Jude is only possible because of the support of individuals, organizations, and communities that believe every child deserves a chance to live. Chamber membership allows us to raise awareness of our mission, engage with community stakeholders, and share how St. Jude is making an impact not only in Memphis, but in communities throughout Texas and around the world.



Through these relationships, we can continue expanding support for our mission of Finding Cures. Saving Children.®