The iHeartMedia Country Cares for St. Jude Kids national radiothon raised more than $5.6 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The record-setting event encouraged radio listeners to pledge $20 per month to become “Partners In Hope” with St. Jude. The Dec. 7 – 8 event was supported by 26 iHeartMedia stations across the country, from Boston to San Antonio to Las Vegas, in conjunction with The Bobby Bones Show — iHeartMedia’s nationally syndicated award-winning country morning show.
Also, more than 80 country artists supported the St. Jude “This Shirt Saves Lives” campaign in addition to the radiothon. The social media push and on-air promotion through Country Cares radio partner stations attracted thousands of new Partners in Hope and sustaining donors in support of the life-saving research and treatment being done at St. Jude. Artist and donor social posts can be viewed at www.thisshirtsaveslives.org.
“We greatly appreciate our partnership with iHeartMedia, and are truly inspired by the dedication of its on-air personalities and listeners for passionately supporting the critical cause of finding cures for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. “It’s remarkable to see how deeply the entire country music industry has embraced the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”
St. Jude and iHeartMedia’s partnership of 30-plus years has generated more than $90 million in the past decade to support the hospital. Patients and their families never receive a bill from St. Jude for the cost of treatment, travel, housing or food.
“We have a rich history of supporting St. Jude – which treats so many children living in the communities in which we serve – and we look forward to many more successful fundraising events in 2018,” said Rod Phillips, iHeartMedia SVP of Programming.