FedEx St. Jude Classic lets patients golf with pros

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (ALSAC)
Thursday, 19 June 2003

Patients of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have a chance to test their golf and putting skills during several activities held during the week of the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

On Tuesday, June 24, the St. Jude Women's Club will host a miniature golf activity on the grounds of the hospital for St. Jude patients and their siblings. This activity encourages the patients to play golf—on a miniature level—and provides them the opportunity to draw thank you artwork to be distributed to the hundreds of volunteers who staff the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

Golf professionals in town for the tournament are also invited to attend. One year, the patients received a surprise visit from Sergio Garcia, who shared some putting tips.

Later on Tuesday, Professional Golf Association (PGA) players and their wives, known as the PGA TOUR Wives, will host a picnic at Target House, a residence for St. Jude patients and their families. Teen golf sensation Ty Tryon will make a special appearance and will challenge the kids to a putting contest. Tryon became the youngest player to qualify for the PGA TOUR in 2001. Today, at 19, he is universally recognized as one of the best young talents in the world of golf.

On Saturday, June 28, 17-year-old Steven Vonspreckelsen from Clay Center, Nebraska, will play in the tournament's "Saturday Series Pro-Am" at Windyke Country Club. Steven was treated at St. Jude for medullobalstoma, a type of brain tumor, and just finished his treatments in January. He returns to the hospital every three months for checkups.

Since 1970, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has been the sole beneficiary of the FedEx St. Jude Classic, which donated $1 million from last year's tournament. A total of more than $14 million has been donated to St. Jude over the past 30 years, most of which has been raised since FedEx began its sponsorship in 1986. For ticket information, call (901) 748-0534 or visit www.hushyall.com.

St Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fund-raising organization.

For more information, or to contact St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (ALSAC), see their website at: www.stjude.org