Field Service Technician Ricky Parker paid forward $500 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
According to their website, stjude.org, treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80%.
Ricky admits he has a soft spot for children. He said, “I feel like kids fighting cancer miss out on the chance to just grow up and enjoy life. Seeing kids struggling with this disease breaks my heart.”
The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.
Many people know about St. Jude hospital but may not know its backstory. The organization’s history reads, “Unsure of his life’s direction, a young Danny Thomas sought guidance from St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes. If the saint would point to the path he should take, Danny vowed to build a shrine in his name. Success followed Danny’s plea and soon after, the legendary entertainer set about fulfilling his vow to St. Jude. The result was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”
Danny Thomas officially opened St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on February 4, 1962, with the unveiling of the statue of St. Jude Thaddeus.
Unlike any other hospital, the majority of St. Jude’s funding comes from individual contributions. And thanks to generous donors, families never receive a bill.
St. Jude shares the discoveries it makes, which means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.
Ricky said, “I can only hope that St. Jude’s is there for my family if ever needed.”
To find out more or donate, visit stjude.org.
Laurens Electric’s Pay It Forward program began in 2015.
Every Laurens Electric Cooperative employee is entered into a random drawing to receive $500 to pay forward in any way they choose.
Each month a new name is drawn, and the employee then has one month to apply the funds toward their own act of kindness.
This initiative is budget-neutral; the funds come from Laurens Electric’s charity events, which employee volunteers make possible.
