St. Jude Spirit of the Dream Gala Marks 10 Years of Impact

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 10th annual St. Jude Spirit of the Dream Gala, presented by W&T Contracting Corporation, united community leaders, supporters, and changemakers this past weekend to celebrate a decade of progress in equity, leadership, and community empowerment. The event honors African Americans who have made significant contributions to Memphis and beyond while embodying the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. Funds raised at this year’s event surpassed $327,550, bringing the cumulative total to more than $1 million since 2016.

The gala coincided with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. In a keynote address, Annette Green, Chief People & Global Engagement Officer of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude, reflected on the evening’s significance and said, “This is more than a gala. It’s a celebration of purpose and a reunion of hearts united in mission. Tonight, we honor the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Danny Thomas, two visionaries who believed in justice, compassion, and the dignity of every person. Their dreams live on in every child treated at St. Jude, where families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food. Today, that promise is our reality. And it is our legacy too.”

The evening’s spotlight moment featured the awarding of the event’s highest honors: The Legacy Award and the Spirit of the Dream Award. Over the past decade, the gala has honored luminaries such as Penny Hardaway, Derek Fordjour, Dr. Sian Proctor, and A.C. Wharton Jr., each recognized for their contributions to equity, culture, and progress.

The Legacy Award was presented to Wilfred Busby, Senior Fellow of Employee Experience at ALSAC, for exemplifying the spirit of caring and commitment to the St. Jude mission.

“This honor touches me deeply. It’s not just an award, it’s a reminder of where I come from and who I strive to be,” said Busby. “I think about my parents, my faith, and all the people who poured into me so I could pour into others. To be recognized in the spirit of a dream as powerful as Dr. King’s—that’s humbling. It reminds me to keep serving, keep believing, and keep building bridges for those coming behind me.”

The Spirit of the Dream Award was presented to Tyrone Burroughs, Founder, President, and CEO of First Choice Sales & Marketing Company for embodying the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its founder, Danny Thomas.

“To be honored with the Spirit of the Dream Award is both humbling and energizing,” said Burroughs. “This recognition is not just about my journey—it’s about the communities that shaped me, the mentors who guided me, and the generations we’re lifting up together. I believe in building legacies that open doors, create equity, and empower others to lead with purpose.”

Attendees experienced a deeply moving moment as LaShunda, a bereaved mother of a St. Jude patient, Devon, shared her powerful story of love, loss, and enduring hope. The evening also featured a performance by 10-time GRAMMY® nominee Take 6. A live auction rounded out the event, with proceeds supporting the mission of St. Jude.

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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 largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80% in the United States, 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 X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.