St. Jude Celebration Of Hope

It had been a while since I visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  Years ago, I served as an ambassador and an advisory committee member for Sunday of Hope.  As an ambassador, I got to tour the state-of-the-art hospital where the best and brightest worked to cure cancer from some of the bravest little people I have ever met.  During my tour, I saw the beautifully designed living spaces where families live while their children and siblings receive the best care.  I got to eat fresh fruit from the garden, where the chefs would gather the groceries to prepare for the children in care and staff daily.  The team at St. Jude are some of the most caring people who work to raise funds so that no family would ever have to pay for care. 

As an advisory committee member, I encouraged churches to make an annual gift to St. Jude by raising an offering on a Sunday morning once a year.  Only a few jobs in my life or career feel more rewarding. 

My Return to St. Jude

I returned to the 2025 Celebration of Hope event nearly two weeks ago. The event brings together more than 500 people, primarily representing media and music, reaching African American consumers, and I am still in awe of their generous, innovative, impactful, life-changing work. 

I arrived at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, was welcomed by the St. Jude team, and joined a group of people of color from radio, music labels, podcasts, blogs…you name it, all who have used their platform to raise awareness and funds for St. Jude.  It was instantly refreshing, especially after the recent news of eliminating DEI programs.  St. Jude understands the importance of allowing everyone to make an impact and recognize their value as a hope dealer.

Since learning more about St. Jude, I have had a soft spot in my heart for the mission. There have been times when I have prayed, cried, and carried the children and families in my heart, especially those God called home.  I never knew why I was so passionate about the mission until this visit.  During Celebration of Hope, I left lunch a few minutes early to participate in a few activations before the crowd. 

I finished taking my pictures and returned to catch the end of the lunch program.  I noticed this small table with leaves and gold Sharpies on it.  It sat beside a wall with family photos of celebrities and legends and a giant tree in the middle.  I had walked past this wall several times and thought how nice it was to know so many people have contributed and advocated for St. Jude.  But this time, I saw the table with the leaves. 

As I reached for my phone to record this experience, I paused, thinking, “What am I going to write?”. There was no one there to give me instructions. I started to glance at other leaves on the tree, but the gold Sharpie challenged these fifty-year-old eyes. Then it hit me. I had a thought about my uncle Patrick, who died of childhood cancer.  While I knew that he died of cancer as a kid, I never related his story to my passion for this mission until that moment. 

Celebration of Life

My uncle Patrick was 10 years old when he died of leukemia on January 10, 1974, exactly one month before I was born.  I was 19 years old when I found out that my uncle died one month before I was born. Which meant I never met him.  I was sitting with my grandmother, looking through a photo album, when we saw his photo. I said, “Oh, how I miss Uncle Patrick.”  My grandmother said, what do you mean you miss him? You never knew him. 

I was stunned; I thought, oh, goodness, my grandmother was starting to lose her memory. Why in the world would she say this? I responded and said, Grandma, what do you mean, I never met him? For some reason, I believed I knew him. I had a memory of playing with him. I went on to explain the house, the dog, his smile, and his gentle voice.  My grandmother, looking with complete shock and amazement, started crying.  She told me that my uncle Patrick died precisely one month before I was born. She said he would rub my mother’s belly and talk to me every day.  Whew, I am getting emotional thinking about it.  Y’all, I could not believe what I was hearing…what?!?!  I was sure that I knew him. I was sure we played together with our dog. 

As I stood in front of that tiny table, my Uncle Patrick came to mind, and I started to cry. I then wrote on my leaf, “In loving memory of my amazing Uncle Patrick.” As I placed my leaf on the tree, I understood my passion for St. Jude. It was not just another ambassador program; it was personal.  It’s always been personal. 

Give Hope

Since partnering with them to support the mission in 2017, this was my best St. Jude event. Actually, I felt I did not have time to go on a press trip, but I needed it so badly. I saw old friends, met new ones, took a break, and reconnected to the hope of St. Jude. The celebration of hope is not just an event but a call to action.

You may not have a personal connection with childhood cancer, but I’m sure you have a connection to hope. That feeling or desire for something to happen for you or a loved one.  That’s what St. Jude provides to families with children battling cancer; they provide HOPE. A hope that one day their child will go back to school, learn to walk, perform in their kindergarten school play, play with their siblings again, or make Christmas cookies for Santa…. live. 

I am grateful to have been invited by St. Jude to attend the Celebration of Hope after so many years.  I am even more thankful that I was able to make it.  Please consider supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital today.