St. Jude Opens Research and Care Center

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital officially opened the Kay Research and Care Center on the St. Jude campus in Memphis.

The new $198 million center houses the Eric Trump Foundation Surgery and ICU Center, the Marlo Thomas Center for Global Education and Collaboration and the St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center, which will open this fall.

"This is a momentous occasion for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, as we open the new Kay Research and Care Center and celebrate the integration of treatment, research, technology, collaboration and education on the St. Jude campus," said Richard Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in a statement. "We are tremendously thankful for the dedicated support of Kay Jewelers, The Eric Trump Foundation, and the many donors who partner with us as we take this important next step forward in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases."

The center is named for Kay Jewelers, which is a supporter of St. Jude. Kay Jewelers recently made a commitment to raise $50 million over 10 years in support of the hospital’s work. Kay Jewelers has raised more than $40 million to support St. Jude since 1999.

"Our partnership with St. Jude is a source of great pride and we are honored to support this incredible institution with the amazing work it does," said Ed Hrabak, Kay Jewelers president, in a statement. "The opening of the Kay Research and Care Center begins an exciting new chapter in our relationship and extends the pioneering treatment and cutting-edge research that benefits children and families around the world. We thank our generous customers and dedicated team members for their support in making this great day possible."

The building’s Eric Trump Foundation Surgery and ICU Center was paid for with a $20 million commitment from The Eric Trump Foundation. The center doubles the hospital’s surgery space. The operating suites are equipped with recording devices and observation rooms.

Eric and Lara Trump were joined by key members of The Eric Trump Foundation for the opening ceremony.

"I’m immensely proud of our incredible pledge to the children of St. Jude. Our donation and this ICU facility will forever change the lives of the most precious segment of our society," said Eric Trump, Eric Trump Foundation founder, in a statement. "We look forward to supporting St. Jude for many years to come."

The Marlo Thomas Center for Global Education and Collaboration occupies the entire main floor of the Kay Research and Care Center. The center is designed to be a space for learning and it encourages collaboration.

An entire floor of the Kay Research and Care Center is devoted to the computational biology department, which will play a key role in the hospital’s research over the coming decades. The growth of the department is crucial for the hospital’s work to analyze data provided by the St. Jude-Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project.

The St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center, which was created thanks to a $25-million commitment from Red Frog Events, is the world’s first proton therapy center dedicated solely to the treatment of children. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation treatment and allows doctors to administer a higher dose of radiation to a tumor while sparing nearby healthy tissue from radiation exposure.

"St. Jude is a remarkable place of discovery and interaction and a place of compassion and healing," said James R. Downing, M.D., St. Jude president and CEO, in a statement. "The Kay Research and Care Center captures all of these elements under one roof and will be integral to our future as a global innovator in the fight against childhood cancer and other deadly diseases."