MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Now through June 30, online bidding is open for an auction affiliated with the St. Jude JAM Presented by Delta Dental and InnerWorkings, a virtual concert event for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday, June 30.
The general public is welcome to check out the exclusive auction items, including a custom replica of the 1965 World Championship Shelby Daytona Coupe, an autographed Gibson guitar, exclusive national golf event excursions and more at stjude.org/stjudejam. All proceeds support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.®
It is an annual tradition to include a replica car build for St. Jude at this event. For more information about this history, visit St. Jude Inspire. Last year, a bidding war for the replica car reached a record amount, totaling $240,000. In response, a second car was built, so two St. Jude supporters walked away as winners of the auction item. Thanks to generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
“Music brings the world together, and through events like the St. Jude JAM, we are able to celebrate our generous supporters, who are instrumental in helping continue the life-saving work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President & CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “The entertainment industry came together nearly 60 years ago to help raise the necessary funds and awareness to bring St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to life. Today, the St. Jude JAM virtual concert event and auction continues that incredible tradition of support from the entertainment industry, raising the funds and awareness for doctors and researchers at St. Jude to carry on the pioneering research and treatment for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”
Sponsors, teams or individual fundraisers who raise $5,000, will gain access to the St. Jude JAM Cocktails and Conversations VIP Pre-Party at 5:30 pm. CT, featuring special guest Steve Cropper formerly of Booker T. & the M.G.s, to help kick off the concert. Fans around the globe will then come together to support St. Jude while JAMming to performances from Kevin Griffin of Better Than Ezra, Terri Nunn of Berlin, Sara Evans and Wally Palmar of The Romantics, and others, all backed by house band Sixwire.
Events like this concert, which began in 2013, help support families like 14-year-old stepsisters and St. Jude patients Natalie and Olivia who will share how music therapy was a valuable part of their treatment plans. Both were diagnosed with the same type of bone cancer in the same leg, just weeks apart, at age 13. They both received chemotherapy and limb-sparing surgery, as well as physical therapy. They became “battle buddies,” keeping each other upbeat and passing the time with music, makeup and TV. They are now cancer-free and starting high school this fall. Olivia loves music and making TikTok videos. Natalie enjoys painting and photography.
Jam. Tag. Donate.
St. Jude supporters also are encouraged to participate in the “Show us your JAM” online challenge. Participants can upload videos of their best dance moves, guitar riffs and party celebrations, to Facebook and Twitter, and help spread the word about this event by using the hashtags #StJudeJAM, #LetsJAM and #ForStJude, followed by tagging and challenging friends and family to do the same. The winner of the best video will be announced at the end of the concert.
Cancer does not stop, and with support from events like this, neither will St. Jude. For more information, visit stjude.org/stjudejam