- LOUIS, Mo., August 27, 2021 – Busch Stadium, home to the 11-time World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals, will host the inaugural Saints Gala presented by Centene Charitable Foundation on Saturday, August 28, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. The event will honor the commitment to the patients and families of St. Jude in the lead up to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, while celebrating the philanthropic spirit of the St. Louis region.
Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III, his wife and SAINT Candles founder, Ira DeWitt, along with Cardinals Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and Yolonda Lankford, will serve as honorary co-chairs for the event.
“The DeWitt family and the Cardinals are honored to partner with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to host The Saints Gala at Busch Stadium,” said DeWitt III. “Through our ties to Memphis with the Redbirds, as well as our Saint Candles business which contributes a portion of all sales to St. Jude, we have come to really appreciate all they do for kids faced with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. And our great Special Events team at Busch Stadium will help us put on a world class event.”
The gala event will feature on-field cocktails and dining, with messages from St. Jude, a live auction and presentations by celebrity emcees. All proceeds from the event will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Saints Gala and the upcoming St. Jude Walk/Run on September 25 at Ballpark Village have a goal of raising over $1.5 million for St. Jude to support its mission: Finding cures. Saving children®.
Based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats kids from all 50 states and around the world. The Saints Gala will also unveil the St. Jude Mission Experience, unique interactive displays in locations citywide during September, allowing supporters throughout the St. Louis community to enjoy a glimpse into the mission of St. Jude.
Event organizers are following all federal and local guidelines to establish safeguards against COVID-19 during this outdoor event.
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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 life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the discoveries it makes, 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 or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and subscribing to its and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
About SAINT (saintcandles.com)
When a friend was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Ira DeWitt wanted to give her something more purposeful than flowers or a card– something that evoked a sense of comfort and spirituality. Ira decided to create something herself, and this is how SAINT Candles – Modern Prayer Candles for a Cause – was born. Each SAINT Candle comes with a prayer to the patron saint, holy oil as part of the wax (blessed by both a priest and a rabbi), and an Italian prayer coin embedded into the candle honoring the patron saint which reveals itself once the candle has burned down. The first candle Ira made was an appeal to St. Jude – the saint of impossible causes. So it is fitting that Ira chose to give a portion of all SAINT Candles sales to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to support its mission: Finding cures. Saving children®. $105,000 has been raised for St. Jude so far since the company launched in 2019.
