Written by: Olivia Sprow

When we pulled up to the hospital of St. Jude, I instantly felt welcomed as a member of Tri Delta. There was a huge banner that read “St. Jude Welcomes Tri-Delta” and hospital staff was waiting outside to greet us. Upon walking in the doors of St. Jude, I instantly felt the impact this hospital has. Our tour guide gave us a lot of information on St. Jude’s history and shared the impact that our sorority has on the hospital. After the tour, we got to explore downtown Memphis. For lunch, one of my friends and I split gumbo fries at the famous Blues City Cafe. At night, Beale Street was shut down and there was live music everywhere. I had so much fun dancing with my friends. We left bright and early in the morning and the whole group was decked out in our St. Jude t-shirts from the gift shop.

One of the coolest parts about St. Jude is that they don’t charge their patients for care because donors pay for all expenses. While there, I learned that Tri Delta is the single biggest donor to the hospital. It was incredible to see how much we help these children through our fundraising efforts. Seeing the patients walking around the hospital made me want to get more involved in our sorority’s philanthropy, so that St. Jude can bring these kids the best treatment and care possible. St. Jude is so much more than just another sorority philanthropy. When I think of St. Jude, I think of the prom they put on for their adolescent patients and the chef that makes special request meals when the kids don’t want any of the cafeteria food. The money Tri Delta donates is so important because St. Jude tries to give their patients the most special and inspiring experience possible. I feel so fortunate that I got the opportunity to experience it for myself.