St. Jude’s Dream Home to Be Built in Meridian

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is an organization near and dear to my heart. I lived in Memphis, TN for a couple of years and spent a lot of time volunteering and visiting the hospital.

Since St. Jude was established in 1962, the survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer, has increased from 4 percent to 94 percent today. The overall survival rate for childhood cancers in general, has risen from 20 percent to 80 percent according to stjude.org. St. Jude has treated children from across the United States and from more than 70 countries.

My son did not have a life threatening illness when he was born, but he did spend a couple of days in the NICU. I can’t imagine what it is like to deal with the daily struggles that these children and parents go through.

The St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway is a 25-year tradition that is now one of the largest single-event fundraisers for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital nationwide and is happening right here in the Treasure Valley. To date, more than 380 houses have been awarded and the program has raised over $315 million for St. Jude. The daily operating cost for the research hospital is $2 million, which is primarily covered by public contributions. The 4 bedroom, 3 bath house, located in the Bellano Creek community just north of Ustick and Meridian, is approximately 2,400 square feet and estimated to be valued at $375,000.

A floor signing event will take place on Thursday, March 31 at 5:30pm at the Bellano Creek Community, 3900 S. Shimmering Way, Meridian, ID, 83642. This event gives guests an opportunity to write out a dedication or blessing to the patients of St. Jude or the winner of the house and express the reason that they are donating their time, talent and treasure to the construction of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway house. The floor will eventually be a reminder to all of the hard work and dedication that went into building this home.

For more information, call 1-800-537-8939 or visit dreamhome.org.