Returning An Answered Prayer Before Danny Thomas made it big as an actor, he prayed for guidance from the patron saint of hopeless causes, St. Jude Thaddeus. After his prayer was answered, he vowed to build a shrine to the saint. This project developed into the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Money was raised from his fellow Arab-Americans, who then formed the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC). The group raised millions of dollars, enabling the hospital to open its doors on this date in 1962. St. Jude Hospital is now recognized as one of the world's premier centers for the study and treatment of leukemia, cancer and other catastrophic diseases in children. ALSAC continues to manage the hospital and covers all unreimbursed medical costs for the children.
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