In late October I attended an event in Memphis called Country Cares. It's basically a seminar to gear up for our radiothon on 96.3 KHEY Country to help raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. (Country Cares started 35 years ago with Randy Owen of the band Alabama. He wanted to combine the power of country music and the healing power of St. Jude, and thus Country Cares was born. Some of the biggest names in Country Music are a part of this, as you may have seen the likes of Sam Hunt, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood, and numerous others wearing the "#ThisShirtSavesLives shirt). While in Memphis, we got the fun stuff like concerts from Jon Pardi, Old Dominion, Megan Moroney, Brad Paisley and more, and food for days, but more importantly we got to tour the St. Jude hospital, and hear form some of the families and patients themselves.
My St. Jude moment came the 2nd day. Brad Paisley was just announced as our surprise lunch performer, followed by a well and sincere spoken man. He began talking about his experience he had at St. Jude with his daughter who had cancer: He described how well the staff treated them, how they didn't have to worry about anything other than focusing on their daughter, and how much life they had given back to her. Then he hit us with "she didn't survive."
After hearing this man speak in such a grateful tone, that turn was unexpected, which is why I think it hit me so hard. With the way he was speaking, I was expecting her to walk on stage with her family and begin speaking herself, or for him to begin showing us a slideshow on the room projectors of her now, possibly her graduation pictures or her wedding day, but no. Instead this man was holding space for 2 things at the same time; gratitude and sadness. Sad because his daughter's time on earth was cut too short, but thankful for the added time that St. Jude had given them together. It made me realize how grateful I am for my children, and that even though not all the stories are happy endings at St. Jude, their mission is still ongoing; "We won't stop until no child dies from cancer."
I will forever cherish the pin he gave everyone to help keep her memory alive. I have it displayed in my office to remind me of my first St. Jude moment, that made what they do "real" for me, grateful for their work, and grateful for my children.
Tune in to 96.3 KHEY Country this Thursday and Friday, Dec 5&6, to hear more stories, see how you can help, and learn about our amazing prizes from a couple Country Cares supporters. I hope you will join me in this fight, because I've seen it first hand. It is real, and the research they do helps SO MANY children not only battling cancer but a multitude of other diseases.
#ThisShirtSavesLives
#MusicGives