St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals Dream Homes

This time next week, I'll be in the hot (literally) summertime destination of Memphis, TN. Unlike millions of others, it won't be to visit Graceland (though Elvis did die on my birthday...)

Brizo Faucet has convened a reunion of all the #Blogger19 for wining and dining, a factory tour, and a tour of St. Jude's, the amazing children's cancer research hospital. For those unaware, twice a year, Brizo Faucet invites a group of 19 interior and kitchen designers and design bloggers for NY Fashion week during which time they showcase their upcoming products and get feedback from design professionals, wine and dine us, and attend the Jason Wu fashion show. Brizo has a long established relationship with Mr. Wu. They have been doing this for 3-4 years, so the Blogger 19 is up around 200 people from across the US and Canada. They are flying us all in next week and putting us up at the famed Peobody Hotel (where the ducks parade through the lobby twice a day to cavort in the fountain). Our itinerary includes a factory tour (made in America!), a tour of St. Jude's, and some kind of design project with some of the children of St. Jude's (tissues are already packed!).

Houses for the St. Jude Dream Home^® Giveaway are now being constructed across America using donated land, labor, materials and fixtures - including Brizo faucets and accessories for the kitchen and bath. This campaign will give thousands a chance to win a new home. More importantly, the money raised will help fund research and treatment efforts for St. Jude - and help countless children live out their dreams.

The St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway was created in 1991 by Dr. Donald Mack, a pediatric physician from Shreveport, Louisiana. Dr. Mack has relied on St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to treat young patients with catastrophic diseases and was the first doctor to send an out-of-state patient to St. Jude.

The first St. Jude Dream Home was constructed in Shreveport, Louisiana, and raised $160,000 for the hospital. Since that first giveaway, the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway in Shreveport has become an annual fundraiser, raising more than $23 million for the hospital.

Today, the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway is one of the largest single-event fundraisers for St. Jude nationwide and has raised more than $260 million.
This year, the program will include more than 30 St. Jude Dream Home Giveaways and will continue to grow.

Thanks to all of the sponsors involved with the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway program. Your continuous support helps raise money for St. Jude where no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for their child’s care.

Learn more about Brizo Faucet's involvement and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  

I'm honored to be invited to attend this special event. In 2013 alone, I've lost 5 friends and acquaintances to cancer - not just social media friends, but people I had real-life dealings with. All were in their middle years - way too young to die. When one imagines a child going through what my five brave friends went through - well, it's really unimaginable. Since St. Jude was founded by actor/philanthropist Danny Thomas in 1962, their research as helped improve children's survival rates enormously - but they will not be satisfied until all childhood cancers are eradicated.


Thanks to places like St. Jude's and companies like Brizo to help out, the dream of a cancer free childhood for all children will come true some day!