In a nationwide fundraising effort to continue finding cures and saving children, Univision Radio, the radio network serving Hispanic America, helped raise $3.8 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® during the annual Promesa y Esperanza® (Promise and Hope) radio event on Feb. 10-11.
Hispanic radio listeners in Puerto Rico and 17 cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Chicago and New York tuned in to pledge their support to St. Jude by becoming Angeles de Esperanza (Partners In Hope) by making a donation of $20 per month.
“The children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are an extension of our Univision family. We are proud to share the St. Jude mission with the community we serve,” said Randy Falco, president and CEO of Univision Communications, Inc. “Our audiences’ generosity and kindness speaks to our shared values which ultimately benefits thousands of St. Jude patient families highlighted during this event and give hope to countless children worldwide.”
During the more than 30 hours of programming over a two-day period, St. Jude patients like 9-year-old Jorge, who is fighting bone cancer, shared his story. Thanks to donations from Angeles de Esperanza, Jorge and his family will never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything – because all his family should worry about is helping him live.
Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened 50 years ago. And St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade.
The St. Jude/Univision Radio event strengthens relationships with radio listeners, fans, artists and supporters who participate to help make St. Jude founder Danny Thomas’ dream that “no child should die in the dawn of life” a reality.
“The support of Univision’s incredible leadership, dedicated staff and compassionate audience is important to our success in finding cures and saving children,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “For 15 years, Univision Radio has helped connect the Hispanic community to the mission of St. Jude, and each year we have seen how their listeners unite to help give hope to children and families battling some of the most aggressive childhood cancers.”
The St. Jude Promesa y Esperanza radio event was supported by Univision’s portfolio of media platforms, including its local television stations, online, mobile and social media outlets. St. Jude also launched an online Spanish-language video series that appeared globally on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites to promote the national effort. Fans also supported the nationwide event by using the official hashtag #StJudeUnivision.
Latin artists and Univision personalities who donated their time and talent to support these efforts included: Luis Fonsi, Luis Enrique, Chino y Nacho, Juanes, Ricardo Montaner, Mana, Olga Tanon, David Bisbal, Jencarlos Canela, Agueda Lopez, Banda El Recodo, Roberto Tapia, Candela Ferro, Leslie Grace, Fanny Lu, Angelica Vale, Karen Martinez, Kany Garcia, 3Ball MTY, Las Cumbia Girls, Zuleyka Rivera, Franco de Vita, Estephy, Lupita Jones, Karla Monroig, Kevin Ortiz, Regulo Caro, Fernando Carrillo, Gretchen, Darian Alvarez, Anna Sobero, Carlos de la Mota, Ana Isabelle, Banda Los Recoditos, Melina Leon, Montez de Durango, Victoria Ortiz “La Mala”, Jaime Mayol, Pedro Capo, Juan Pablo Galavis, Gretchen, Wisin, Gloria Ordaz, Christian Acosta, Benavides, Santaye, Grupo Control, Gabriel Valenzuela. Other personalities who participated were: Javier Romero of Desayuno Musical; Dra. Isabel and Hellen Aguirre Ferre of Univision America, Raul Brindis of El Show de Raul Brindis, Alberto Sardinas of Intimo, Enrique Santos of El Show de Enrique Santos, Omar Velasco and Argelia Atilano of El show de Omar y Argelia’s; Raul Molinar, Sylvia del Valle; and Andres Maldonado of El Bueno, La Mala y El Feo, Raul Gonzalez, Karla Martinez and Satcha Pretto of Despierta America and Pamela Silva Conde of Primer Impacto.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.
About Univision Communications Inc.
Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) is a media company serving Hispanic America. The Company, a leading content creator in the U.S., includes Univision Network, one of the top five networks in the U.S. regardless of language and the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the country reaching approximately 96% of U.S. Hispanic television households; UniMas, a leading Spanish-language broadcast television network reaching approximately 89% of U.S. Hispanic television households; Univision Cable Networks, including Galavision, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network, as well as Univision tlnovelas, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to novelas, Univision Deportes Network, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to sports, ForoTV, a 24-hour Spanish-language cable network dedicated to news, and an additional suite of six cable offerings – De Pelicula, De Pelicula Clasico, Bandamax, Ritmoson, Telehit and Distrito Comedia; Univision Television Group, which owns and/or operates 62 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Hispanic radio group which owns and/or operates 69 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico, as well as Uforia, the leading Hispanic digital music service; UVideos, the first bilingual digital video network serving Hispanic America; an Interactive network of online and mobile apps and products including Univision.com, which continues to be the No. 1 most-visited Spanish-language website among U.S. online Hispanics, and Univision Partner Group, a specialized advertising and publisher network. UCI’s assets also include a minority stake in El Rey Network, a new 24-hour English-language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, and a joint venture with Disney/ABC Television Network for Fusion, a news, pop culture and satire TV and digital network. Headquartered in New York City, UCI has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit Univision.net.
SOURCE St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital