Jeans for Joy: St. Luke's staff raise $700 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Dec. 16—DICKINSON — St. Luke's Home in Dickinson raised more than $700 for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, whose mission it is to treat and defeat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Joyce Decker, activities director at St. Luke's Home, said she and other staff members wanted to do their best to bring Christmas cheer to those who need it most.

"Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Christ and giving to others. The gift of giving started by God giving his only begotten son," Decker said. "Children hold a special place in one's heart. This is especially true for children at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital."

St. Luke's Home staff shared this spirit of Christmas by raising money to buy Christmas presents for kids in the hospital. Throughout October and November, staff who donated to the cause were allowed to part from the traditional scrubs they typically wear for the comfort of jeans. The $700 collected will go toward providing gifts for nearly two dozen children.

Decker thanked the staff for their generosity.

"With all these children in the hospital unable to get home and celebrate, we thought it was a good charity," she said.

The hospital provides research and medical care for children with cancer, blood disorders and other life-threatening diseases. Costs are covered by the benevolence and good will of people all over America.

The story of this organization is something of a Christmas miracle. Danny Thomas was a nightclub entertainer struggling to provide for his family and cover healthcare costs. He was a devout Catholic. One Sunday morning his priest delivered a homily honoring Jude Thaddeus, the Patron Saint of hopeless causes.

Thomas prayed to St. Jude and promised to build a shrine to the first century disciple in return. Shortly thereafter Thomas secured a steady job in the radio industry. This was followed by a prominent career in film and television. In 1962 he used that prestige and wealth to launch the now famous Memphis hospital that would change thousands of lives for the better.

During the 60 years since, the institution's research has made several revolutionary breakthroughs in pediatric medicine. In 1966 it had the first patients ever successfully removed from therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Then in 2019 St. Jude doctors discovered the cure for severe combined immune deficiency, a rare condition colloquially known as "bubble boy disease" that is usually fatal within the first two years of life if not properly treated.

To learn more about St. Jude and how you can help sick, disabled and terminally ill children, visit their website at

stjude.org.