Salt-N-Pepa’s Sandra “Pepa” Denton and Entertainer MAJOR. Drum up Excitement for Celebrate St. Jude Brunch

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^® hosted Celebrate St. Jude last week, a brunch coinciding with an annual festival in New Orleans honoring African American music and culture. The brunch united the worlds of music and philanthropy by bringing together approximately 50 renowned musicians, influencers, and industry executives to celebrate community, the power of music and the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children^®.

The event was emceed by American soul singer MAJOR. and featured a Q&A session with Sandra “Pepa” Denton of hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. St. Jude patient Paishence, who met Denton in 2019, surprised her at the conclusion of the brunch with a personally curated playlist.

“The survival rate, from when they started way back in 1962 from 20% to 80% now, it’s a beautiful amazing thing!” said Pepa. “And I've seen it, I've seen the school program and some of the kids getting to grow up.”

Kera Wright, Chief Financial Officer of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude, addressed attendees about her work.

“At St. Jude, numbers represent something beautiful. It means children get the best care and the best chance at survival,” said Wright. “Being at Celebrate St. Jude shows the power of bringing communities together around a shared mission. Experiences like this matter because people see firsthand the impact of their commitment and the relationships built between supporters and patient families.”

Previous hosts of the brunch, now in its third year, include TV host/actress Khadeen Ellis in 2022 and Grammy award-winning artist Anthony Hamilton in 2019.

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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. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.^® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and it won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.