The Thanks and Giving campaign – created by Marlo, Terre, and Tony Thomas, the children of St. Jude founder Danny Thomas – is an annual tradition with tremendous public support for the hospital’s lifesaving mission. The campaign has transformed the holiday season into a time of giving thanks by raising awareness and funds for the ongoing battle to end childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
“Despacito” and "Échame La Culpa" singer and Latin Grammy Award winner Luis Fonsi is joining St. Jude for the 14th Annual Thanks and Giving Campaign. Luis and St. Jude patient Sebastian shared with Latin Times how people can get involved in the campaign.
"We're glad to be celebrating the fourteenth year of Thanks and Giving campaign. It is a campaign that we celebrate during the festive season. It starts with Thanks Giving to raise awareness and raise funds for St. Jude Hospital," Luis told Latin Times. "There are different ways of involving people and that they can be part of the campaign and obviously knowing the philosophy and mission of St. Jude Hospital is saving lives."
Luis Fonsi says that after his first visit to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital he decided to get involved. "Many years ago I could truly understand what St. Jude was about, the hospital and the research center," says Fonsi. "I realized how magical that place is, the tranquility, and the peace that is breathed. How difficult a cancer hospital is for children, and the tranquility of parents, of children. Places like that, there are few in the world,” he adds.
If you are doing your Christmas shopping and want to be part of this project you should only donate in the places where you see the logos of St. Jude, as well as a donation through the website. Luis Fonsi ensures that any monetary contribution is valid and will be destined to save lives.
St. Jude patient Sebastian wishes for this Christmas the happiness of all the children. "What I want is that all the children who feel bad or are in the hospital, to be cured so that they are with their families and everyone can have a good time at Christmas," he tells the Latin Times. "St. Jude is very special for me because parents don’t have to pay anything and everything is beautiful. It's colorful, doctors are very kind, everything is perfect," says Sebastian.
Both took the opportunity to send a message during the festivities. "Be well, nothing will happen! Keep happy and don’t worry," says Sebastian to all the children who like him were diagnosed with cancer and are struggling daily to stay healthy.
"Sending many blessings to all the people, it has been an uphill year for many who have gone through difficult times, like my Puerto Rico, like Mexico, but we have to be together, we must continue forward. As Latinos we must be united and celebrate. The Christmas season is to give thanks, to reflect and to start the New Year 2018 with more strength than ever. In this case we are here because there are many children who are fighting against this terrible disease, so I invite them to contribute again, no matter the amount, what matters is that they help because this donation can definitely save a life, " says Luis Fonsi. "Health and many blessings for the New Year."
Enjoy the full interview in Spanish and remember that your contribution will be very important. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago.
St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission here!
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
