What I Learned At St Jude

Hello Honeybees,

As a parent I am always worried and concerned when one of my boys is sick. This allergy season has been really rough on my youngest. The worst year yet for him. I just can not imagine how the parents of children at St Jude feel. These children are dealing with life threatening illnesses. 

If you live in Memphis you know what a gem we have in our city in St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I also believe that we take this gem for granted. I know that I am guilty. We all know about the good work that happens at St Jude. I know that families never have to pay for the medical treatments that their child receive. I know that families from out of town have a place to stay so that they can be near their children at the Ronald McDonald House , Target House or Tri Delta Place.

As part of the Memphis Blogger & Influencer meetup I had the opportunity to take a tour of St. Jude and learned some very interesting facts.

Did you know that Danny Thomas, founder of St Jude, was instrumental in helping to desegregate the hospitality industry in Memphis? Before there was Ronald McDonald House families stayed at hotels which were not open to people of color. Danny told the hotels that if they couldn’t open their rooms to all that he would take his business elsewhere.

Did you know that it was the lack of quality healthcare of an African American boy that lead Danny to start St Jude?

Did you know that the original architect for St Jude was African American? Paul Williams learned to draw his renderings upside down because he couldn’t be on the same side of the table as Caucasians.  

To know that St Jude has so much history outside of the medical miracles that it performs everyday is mind blowing.  As part of my #followmeinto50 I am planning to do a fundraising event for St Jude so stay tuned.

Remember this line because you will see it again….”If you can’t give green, give red”  if you know what that means let me know in the comments.

Belinda

Beewisdom- Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others- Danny Thomas