Since 1962, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis has been a haven of hope for the world's children stricken with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Its founder, the late entertainer Danny Thomas, believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. And through contributions from events like the Firecracker 5K, his vision is being realized.

St. Jude is now able to cure 65 percent of its pediatric cancer patients, thanks to extensive research and treatment plans. The most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphocytic leukemia, now has a survival rate of more than 80 percent.  It was considered incurable when St. Jude opened its doors almost four decades ago.

When this race debuted on a sultry summer evening in 1999, some 850 people signed up to sweat it out for St. Jude. The following year, more than 1,700 runners, walkers, strollers and families filled the streets of East Memphis. And by 2001, the Firecracker 5K Run for St. Jude had become the second largest footrace in Memphis--second only to the Race for the Cure.

The tradition of fundraising runs for St. Jude was pioneered by Memphian and Oak Hall owner Bill Levy in 1977 when he founded the Oak Hall Run for St. Jude. Over the course of 24 years, the Oak Hall Run raised over $2 million for St. Jude. In 2002, Oak Hall joined forces with the Firecracker 5K to donate $1 to the hospital for every entry in this event.

The Racquet Club of Memphis has been a benefactor since 1993, contributing more than $6 million to St. Jude. With your support, we will continue "Running Miles Creating Smiles." This year, every entrant will be running for a child at St. Jude and be given a patient ID bracelet to wear, with the name of a child and the cancer that he or she is battling.  Thanks to your participation in this event, no child will ever be turned away from the hospital because of inability to pay.

For those interested in joining us as a RACE VOLUNTEER, please email us.

On behalf of our sponsors and the children of St. Jude, THANK YOU!

Official Site of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital