PEORIA, Ill. — OSF HealthCare announced earlier this week that Children’s Hospital of Illinois will no longer be an affiliate of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Since the announcement, local community leaders and St. Jude supporters are reaffirming their unwavering commitment to fundraising efforts to help cure children’s cancer.
Mike McCoy, co-founder of St. Jude Runs, tells WMBD’s “Greg and Dan Show” that the Peoria region and surrounding communities have played a huge role in saving lives at St. Jude for decades, and that’s not going to change.
“They’re going to continue to support St. Jude…because the people that are involved know what they do at St. Jude. Which is different than anywhere else.”
McCoy says St. Jude’s research has taken the survival rate for some of the most deadly children’s cancers from 8 percent, to 78 percent over the last 45 years.
“There are 4,000 to 4,500 employees that are dedicated to research of the toughest kinds of cancer, sickle cell anemia, bird flu, everything you can think of that’s tough. That’s what they do. Now, if you don’t do the research, you don’t have the cures, you don’t have means to treat these kids,” McCoy says.
Annual fundraisers for St. Jude includes the St. Jude Corvette Ride, which leaves for Memphis this Thursday. The St. Jude Memphis to Peoria Run in August, and the St. Jude Motorcycle Run in September.
These events have raised millions of dollars for St. Jude for decades. McCoy says the St. Jude Memphis to Peoria Run alone has raised close to $100 million for St. Jude.
To find out how you can help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, click HERE.
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