The announcement was made by Carnival president Christine Duffy at the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, during the cruise line’s third annual Day of Play. This year that featured a variety of Dr. Seuss-themed activities for patients and their families.
At the event, Carnival officials presented the hospital with an over-sized check for $5m, representing the funds raised for St. Jude over the past two years—two years ahead of schedule. Carnival has raised $8m in total for the hospital since the start of the partnership in 2010.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Unlike any other hospital, the majority of funding for St. Jude comes from individual contributions. Thanks to donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
Modeled after Carnival's Seuss at Sea program, the 'Dr. Seuss On The Loose' Day of Play transformed a pavilion at the hospital into a Dr. Seuss-themed play area. Highlights included the Seuss-a-Palooza Parade and Story Time featuring a spirited reading of 'The Cat in the Hat,' along with activities like face painting, bean bag toss, a photo booth, arts and crafts, dancing and more.
There was also a replica of a Dr. Seuss Bookville family reading venue modeled after a similar facility aboard Carnival Freedom and Carnival Vista, the latter under construction and set to debut in Europe May 1.
