It was spring of 2002, and I was in the middle of a radio interview, talking about my new book, The Right Words at the Right Time, in which I had asked 108 famous people -- people I admired -- to write about the words that changed their lives. Halfway through the interview, a listener called the station and told a story that would stay with me.

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is one of the world's premier centers for research and treatment of catastrophic diseases in children, primarily pediatric cancers.

Watch a video about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Mission

The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to find cures for children with catastrophic illnesses through research and treatment.

Research Focus

Research efforts are directed at understanding the molecular, genetic and chemical bases of catastrophic diseases in children, identifying cures for such diseases and promoting their prevention. Research is focused specifically on cancers, acquired and inherited immunodeficiencies and genetic disorders.

Current Research

The current basic and clinical research at St. Jude includes work in gene therapy, bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, the biochemistry of normal and cancerous cells, radiation treatment, blood diseases, resistance to therapy, viruses, hereditary diseases, influenza, pediatric AIDS and psychological effects of catastrophic illnesses.

St. Jude also conducts long-term biostatistical investigations on its patients and is the only pediatric research hospital supported by a National Cancer Institute cancer center support grant.

Visit the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Web site for more information.