St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital takes over Millennium Park Oct. 1 to celebrate the second annual Dream Chicago fundraiser. We sat down with event chair Ann Danner Dwyer for a sneak peek at what to expect this year.
Scenes from last year’s inaugural St. Jude Dream Chicago event
Why is the St. Jude Dream Chicago event so important?
Although childhood cancer is rare, it’s still the No. 1 cause of death by disease in children under 15 today. St. Jude Dream Chicago is designed to bring awareness and support to St. Jude, where lifesaving research and treatment for childhood cancers and catastrophic diseases meet the challenge of its mission that ‘no child should die in the dawn of life.’ When you join us for St. Jude Dream Chicago, you are helping improve the quality of care for children everywhere.
How has St. Jude Dream Chicago evolved since last year’s inaugural event?
With time to build on last year’s success, this year promises amazing surprises, showcasing the St. Jude ‘Dream for the World’ to Chicago and special remarks from St. Jude national outreach director Marlo Thomas. All food, beverages, parking and entertainment are included in the ticket price, and guests will experience an international food market and a culturally diverse entertainment lineup with a headline performance by The Pointer Sisters. It will be a great time while making a difference for children today and in the generations to come.
How is St. Jude working to help children and families around the world?
It’s devastating to understand that only one in five children survive the most common forms of childhood cancers worldwide, while four out of five survive in the U.S. To combat this inequity, St. Jude Global has established an alliance with partners in nearly 200 medical institutions in more than 60 countries to develop, educate and share insights with the global health community while working to improve survival rates for the six most common forms of childhood cancer worldwide.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. How is St. Jude recognizing and raising awareness this month?
During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, supporters come together to learn more about our patients and families, our lifesaving research, and to #showyourgold—the color gold and gold ribbon are symbols for childhood cancer.
Event chair Ann Danner Dwyer
How can Chicagoans get involved in supporting St. Jude’s mission?
Your support is so important because the majority of the funding for St. Jude’s research, care and worldwide impact comes from generous donors. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude, for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child’s life. Join us for an unforgettable evening at St. Jude Dream Chicago in Millennium Park. To reserve your tickets, or to make a donation, visit stjude.org/dreamchicago
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL; PORTRAIT BY MARCUS NORMAN
