Emma Grace Hampton, 4, and Stanton Haynes, 3, share a best friendship with a twist. Both of the children have undergone chemotherapy treatment for Neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor that grows in nerve tissue. They have both received experimental treatments at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and live next door to each other at Ronald McDonald House.
Mothers Trish Hampton and Tina Haynes spoke about their experiences with their children, Emma Grace and Stanton, at St. Jude on Tuesday night in the Faulkner Lounge in the University Center. Despite the illness they've faced, they raced around the room alternately beating and hugging on one another exemplifying the energy of children.
"They would walk through fire and fight grizzly bears for each other," Trish Hampton said to the crowd.
The event, "Lick 'em & Stick 'em," a letter-mailing fundraising project for St. Jude, was hosted by Up 'til Dawn. One hundred teams of six people are participating in the drive. Students supply 50 names and addresses to ask for contributions. Each team has a "morale captain" who arranges tours at St. Jude and encourages blood and platelet donations. Free pizza and drinks were provided for student volunteers from religious, Greek and honors organizations. "Alpha Kappa Alpha is a service organization, so it's natural for us to participate in Up 'til Dawn," said sorority member Tanesha Matthews. Matthews and her friends were busy stuffing envelopes for the occasion. Drawings took place to give away gift certificates throughout the evening including free golf lessons and O'Charley's and Best Buy gift certificates.
Last year, Up 'til Dawn raised $103,000 for the children of St. Jude, said Amy Jackson, the executive director of Up 'til Dawn.
"We hope for about 14,000 letters to go out, and for each 50 letters we average about $300," she said. This year's goal is $120,000, but it's a year-long effort. Every chair was full at the event, and Jackson estimated that 300 people were present. The group aspires to get everyone possible involved, but that's difficult at The U of M."We know that there is no perfect time for everyone to be here. People have classes and this is really a commuter college, so everyone is not on campus at the same time, people have conflicting schedules," she said. "We've had more community support and more students involved than ever before."
Up 'til Dawn was started by students at The University of Memphis in 1999, but 135 schools now participate in the program. The organization closes each year with an all night event which is how the group took their name.
"Up 'til Dawn is a celebration of the U of M supporting St. Jude. However, we do try to maintain a respectful balance. St. Jude is a place of miracles, but there are also many children who are battling, or those who pass away," said Jackson. The combined affiliates across the nation have raised 5.5 millions dollars since they started, she said. The U of M is in the top three earning schools of the group. Tina Haynes pointed out what the funding allows St. Jude to do for sick children and their families.
"I have a three and a half year old son that might not be here if not for them. They give us hope for the future," she said. "I can't tell you how much this money does for families."
