On Feb. 4, 1962, St.ﾠ Jude Children’s Research Hospital opened it’s doors.This was the day that Danny Thomas had dreamed of. The day when he would finally fulfill a promise made 20 years prior to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes.

That shrine became St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the first hospital built for the sole purpose of conducting basic and clinical research and developing treatments for childhood cancer, sickle cell disease and other catastrophic illnesses.