MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Frog Events, a fundraising partner of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^®, has committed to raising $25 million towards the opening of the "St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center" on the hospital's campus in Memphis. Opening in 2015, this will be the first Proton Radiation Therapy (PRT) center in the world dedicated solely to children, designed specifically to meet the needs of young patients.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130117/CG44615)

Proton Therapy is the most advanced form of radiation technology available to patients because it allows doctors to precisely target cancerous cells with high doses of radiation while sparing nearby healthy cells and vital organs located beyond the tumor. Proton Therapy offers great benefits for children with brain tumors and other cancers treated with radiation therapy, as it reduces harm to the child's developing body and lessens the risk of secondary tumors later in life.

Ryan Kunkel, Red Frog Events' Co-CEO, said, "Red Frog Events is proud to have the opportunity to support the kids of St. Jude by fundraising for this ground-breaking new Center on the St. Jude campus."

The St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center is the focal point of a new $198 million tower currently under construction on the St. Jude campus. The tower also will house a state-of-the-art surgical suite and new intensive care unit (ICU), as well as a Global Education and Collaboration Center expected to foster brainstorming, enhance learning and speed knowledge sharing around the world.

"We are deeply appreciative of the generous support of Red Frog Events, which allows St. Jude to further its critical mission," said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "This new tower will expand our capabilities for patient care and global medical education and collaboration to make a greater impact on saving the lives of children."

"Having a state-of-the-art proton center on our campus allows us to not only provide the most advanced treatment for childhood brain tumors and other cancers, but also conduct research to determine the optimal way to give proton beam therapy to children," said Dr. William Evans, CEO of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

For more than 50 years, St. Jude has provided hope to families of children with deadly diseases around the world. The funds raised through donors like Red Frog Events ensure St. Jude can continue to provide exceptional care while conducting research to make it better in the future, and no family ever pays St. Jude for anything.

Red Frog Events has partnered with St. Jude since 2010 and has since helped raise more than $4.8 million through its brands, Warrior Dash, Great Urban Race and Firefly Music Festival. In 2012, Red Frog Events named St. Jude its premier national charity partner. Red Frog Events' commitment of raising $25 million for St. Jude and naming rights to the St. Jude Red Frog Events Proton Therapy Center goes through the end of 2025.

For more information on Red Frog Events, Proton Therapy or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, contact Lauren Shield at (586)709-9003 or lauren@redfrogevents.com or Angela Richmond at (901)578-6658 or angela.richmond@stjude.org. To make a donation, visit stjude.org.

About Red Frog Events:
Red Frog Events is the leader and founder of the Active Entertainment industry. Based in Chicago, they create fun and extraordinary events through innovation, creativity and top-notch participant service, while laughing all the way. In 2012, the company put on more than 75 events worldwide and has hosted more than 1 million registrants since its founding in 2007. They are most known for their events Warrior Dash, the world's largest running series, and Firefly Music Festival, the East Coast's premier music experience, and also for their unique company culture and workplace environment. To learn more, visit www.RedFrogEvents.com or connect with them at Facebook.com/RedFrogEvents, or Twitter.com/RedFrogEvents.

To learn more about their brands, go to:
www.warriordash.com
www.greaturbanrace.com
www.fireflyfestival.com

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
Since opening 50 years ago, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has changed the way the world treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. No family ever pays St. Jude for the care their child receives and, for every child treated here, thousands more have been saved worldwide through St. Jude discoveries. The hospital has played a pivotal role in pushing U.S. pediatric cancer survival rates from 20 to 80 percent overall, and is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. It is also a leader in the research and treatment of blood disorders and infectious diseases in children. St. Jude was founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, who believed that no child should die in the dawn of life. Join that mission by visiting stjude.org or following us on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude. 

SOURCE Red Frog Events