Band celebrates Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day on August 4 with $422,800 donation to fundraising campaign

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 20, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goo Goo Dolls, the Buffalo-based rock band that has sold millions of albums for more than 20 years, named St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as its charity of choice with donations totaling $422,800 and a new fundraising campaign to support Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day.

The band's gift will benefit Music Gives to St. Jude Kids, a program led by Jason Thomas Gordon, musician and grandson of St. Jude founder, Danny Thomas. Gordon created this year-round initiative which informs, inspires and engages artists, their fans and the entertainment industry to support the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Finding Cures. Saving children.®  

On August 4, 2017, St. Jude will present Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day, an inaugural event that will allow bands, fans and venues all across the United States to show their support and raise funds and awareness for the patients and families of St. Jude.

"We absolutely love St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, its awe-inspiring mission, and look forward to helping Music Gives to St. Jude Kids Day in August," said John Rzeznik, Goo Goo Dolls lead singer. "It's an honor for us to play a role, however small, in helping St. Jude find cures and save children's lives."

John Rzeznik and bandmate Robby Takac have both visited the St. Jude campus, meeting with patients and their families. The group has also involved fans in their support of St. Jude by selling autographed guitars and drumheads during their 2016 tour in support of their most recent album, Boxes. Proceeds from those sales were donated directly to St. Jude.

"I want to extend our sincerest thanks to the Goo Goo Dolls for their generous and ongoing support of the Music Gives to St. Jude Kids campaign," said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "We are honored to be the band's charity of choice and look forward to working with them and their fans for many years to come."

About Music Gives to St. Jude Kids
Music Gives to St. Jude Kids mobilizes the music community — artists, fans, corporate partners and sponsors — to join us in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases to raise funds and awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®. St. Jude has a long history of support from the music industry that goes back to the hospital's beginning in 1962 when our founder, Danny Thomas, called on entertainers such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and more to join his cause. Since then, numerous artists and musicians have visited the hospital in support of the St. Jude mission and Danny's belief that no child should die in the dawn of life. Jason Thomas Gordon, grandson of Danny Thomas and lead singer of the band Kingsize, created Music Gives to St. Jude Kids to continue to bring St. Jude and music together to further his family's legacy and make a difference in the lives of the kids of St. Jude.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).