This holiday season, a number of America’s greatest country music and gospel stars are sharing some of their favorite Christmas stories and delicious recipes to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the fight against childhood cancer.

A Country Music Christmas: Songs, Memories, Family Photographs and Recipes from America’s Favorite Country and Gospel Stars features holiday tales and tastes from Vince Gill, Naomi Judd, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, Barbara Mandrell, Wayne Newton, Jeff Foxworthy, Alan Jackson and John Michael Montgomery.

The book was compiled and edited by Edie Hand, assistant author of The GRITS® (Girls Raised in the South) Guide to Life and a cousin of Elvis Presley, and Buddy Killen, Nashville’s most successful music publisher whose hits include “Heartbreak Hotel,” and “Crazy.”

As an added treat, A Country Music Christmas comes with a 15-song CD of Christmas music including songs performed by Pat Boone, Michael Peterson, Chris Young, Jessy Dixon, and Dean Miller.  Also included on this CD is a song written by Hand and Killen.

A portion of the proceeds from the book will benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Country Music Hall of Fame ^® and Museum, and the Edie Hand Foundation.

“I’m excited that St. Jude is one of the recipients of the proceeds,” said Terre Thomas, Board member and daughter of hospital founder, Danny Thomas. “I know it will be a great success, and children stricken with catastrophic diseases will benefit greatly.”

This was an article published by Saint Judes.  If you would like more information please visit:

http://www.stjude.org/countrycares/0,2710,618_3348_21861,00.html

Saint Judes is probably one of the best organizations that we have available!  They are so helpful with children with cancer.  They have helped my best friends daughter, probably have saved her life.  She is still battling her cancer but Saint Judes has given us hope where we thought there was none.

Alayna’s Story written by her father Doug Price:

Five years ago, my daughter, Alayna, was diagnosed with Wilm’s Tumor, which is a childhood kidney cancer.  The original prognosis we were given was that Wilm’s had a 98% cure rate for the stage she was in (Stage II).  After surgery to remove a kidney and 5 months of chemotherapy, things were looking good.  However, 6 months later, a routine checkup proved otherwise.  Her cancer had returned and spread to her lungs.  She had another major surgery to remove a large tumor, radiation treatment and 5 more months of chemo.  Again, it looked as if the cancer was gone, but 8 months later, her cancer returned to her lungs once more.  This time, the prognosis was not so good.  Doctors told us they had exhausted the protocol treatments for Wilm’s and there was nothing more they could do.  They gave us 6-months to a year.

We did not accept that as an answer, and an exhaustive search led us to Dr. Jeffrey Dome at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.  Through a series of different clinical trials and a new technique called Radio Frequency Ablation (performed by surgeon Dr. Fredric Hoffer), Dr. Dome and his staff has kept my daughter alive and able to live a normal lifestyle 3 years past that grim prognosis!

We owe so much to Dr. Dome and Dr. Hoffer, and their staff.  I credit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for giving my daughter a second chance at life.  Although she has not yet been declared “cured”, they have been able to keep her stable and are working towards a cure with new medicines and studies that can only be done at St. Jude. What is also very impressive about St. Jude Children’s Hospital is how much they do for the families, particularly those who cannot afford care.  They pay all travel costs and room and board for the patient and their family during treatment.  If a child is not insured, they do not have to pay for treatment.  I have witnessed and experienced firsthand that monies going to St. Jude not only provide research that saves the lives of children, but they treat every family as if they were the most important on this earth.  So, you can be assured that a portion of any service fees you pay for registrations will be going to a great cause.

Alayna is now 11-years old.  She enjoys her dog Chelsea, playing the guitar, and hanging out with her friends.  She currently lives with her mother and step-father in Oklahoma.  She is the bravest and most courageous girl I know and I love her dearly.