In the late 1950s, when a child was diagnosed with pediatric cancer, it was considered a death sentence. Words like “cure” were never uttered, and treatment protocols mostly involved end-of-life comfort and care. The survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, was less than four percent.

It was around this same time that Danny Thomas was a young entertainer, with a baby on the way. Work wasn't easy to come by and his despair grew. He turned to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, and vowed:

“Show me my way in life, and I will build you a shrine.”

That prayer marked a pivotal moment. Soon after, he began finding work, eventually becoming one of the biggest talents of radio, film and television in his day. He starred in “Make Room for Daddy,” later known as “The Danny Thomas Show.”

In remembering his vow to St. Jude, Thomas first visited Wichita as part of a nationwide fundraising tour that would lay the foundation for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As a Lebanese-American, Danny had many friends around the country who shared not only his heritage, but also his passion for taking on what seemed like an impossible task — curing childhood cancer.

One of those dear friends was Wichita’s own William F. Farha. And not only did the foundation for St. Jude begin as part of that meeting, but it also began a family legacy of supporting St. Jude that continued with his son William G. Farha through the inception of the Wichita St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway in 2016. That legacy continues today with W.G. Farha, William’s grandson and the chair of the inaugural Love Pickle. Stop Cancer. pickleball tournament, which raised $150,000 in its inaugural year.

“Anytime Bella needed a medication for her treatment, they overnighted it to our doorstep by FedEx.” — Local patient father, Josh 

“So many of our supporters know of St. Jude through the stories of patients in our impactful television commercials. And these are real stories of hope, joy and triumph,” says ALSAC/St. Jude area executive director, David Ochoa. “What isn’t seen is the dedicated physician scientists who are literally working around the clock to find the next advancement in treatment. These researchers are key in fulfilling the second part of our mission — finding cures.”

One of the core tenets of the mission of St. Jude’s is that no family ever receives a bill for treatment, housing or transportation. Local patient father Josh shared his, and his daughter Bella’s, St. Jude journey with guests at the evening celebration. Bella was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor and traveled to St. Jude for treatment.

“Here’s where St. Jude has really impacted us: Anytime Bella needed a medication for her treatment, they overnighted it to our doorstep by FedEx. They’ve also kept us from going bankrupt. We’ve never had the anxiety of going to the mailbox and thinking, ‘How much did that treatment cost?’

“There’s so much joy. St. Jude is such an amazing place because it gives children and families hope.”

For more information on sponsorship opportunities for the 2025 Love Pickle. Stop Cancer. tournament, please contact Mackenzie Booth at Mackenzie.Booth@alsac.stjude.org or 816.400.5780.