Photos: Latin Music Superstar Luis Fonsi to Serve as Celebrity Ambassador for the 6th Annual Thanks and Giving(R) Campaign to Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital(R)

Photos: Latin Music Superstar Luis Fonsi to Serve as Celebrity Ambassador for the 6th Annual Thanks and Giving(R) Campaign to Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital(R)

Latin Grammy nominee encourages U.S. Latinos to 'Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not.'

NEW YORK, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced that Latin music superstar Luis Fonsi will serve as an official celebrity ambassador for the 6th Annual Thanks and Giving campaign supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The Latin pop music superstar, nominated for two Latin GRAMMY awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, will work to raise awareness of the Thanks and Giving campaign and encourage U.S. Latinos to "give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not" in televised spots to air in Spanish-language markets around the United States.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/stjude/40838/

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091104/NY05001 )

Fonsi joins celebrity artists including Carrie Underwood and Darius Rucker who have volunteered their time to the 2009 Thanks and Giving campaign. Returning to the Thanks and Giving campaign this year are long-time celebrity friends, Jennifer Aniston, Robin Williams, Antonio Banderas and New Orleans Saint's Reggie Bush, who star in the heartwarming national television spots with patients from St. Jude that air during the holiday season. The television spots are produced each year by award-winning producer/director Tony Thomas, the son of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital founder, Danny Thomas.

"It is a great honor to be able to be part of the Thanks and Giving campaign, which helps St. Jude continue its life-saving work finding cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases," said Fonsi, a long-time supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "I am thrilled to be able to do my part to encourage the Latino community to not only give thanks during this holiday season, but also to remember and support the children at St. Jude by making a donation to the hospital."

The 2009 campaign welcomes more than 50 partners, who have united during the competitive holiday retail season to raise awareness and funds that are vital to continuing the research and treatment taking place at St. Jude. Returning partners include Target, CVS/pharmacy, Kmart, Kay Jewelers, Dick's Sporting Goods, AutoZone, Williams-Sonoma, Inc, Gymboree, Ann Taylor, New York & Company, Dollar General, HSN, AOL, Brooks Brothers, Domino's Pizza and many more.

"Our partners make a true commitment each holiday season to help save the lives of children being treated at St. Jude by asking their customers to donate to the Thanks and Giving campaign during their holiday shopping," said Ms. Thomas. "It is only with these outstanding partners' and their customers' generous support that we are able to never turn a child away because of a family's inability to pay."

New partners to this year's campaign include Chico's, Reebok, Ticketmaster, Harry & David and Anna's Linens. The Thanks and Giving campaign, which begins Thanksgiving week and continues through the end of the year, and its partners ask consumers to join them in making a contribution to St. Jude to help save lives of children in communities everywhere.

Consumers are asked to shop at companies where the St. Jude Thanks and Giving green magnifying glass logo is displayed; donate online at www.stjude.org, or purchase specialty merchandise created by the partners to support the campaign. A list of fundraising partners is available at www.stjude.org or call 1-800-4STJUDE (1-800-478-5833) or in Spanish by logging onto www.dargracias.org or calling 1-800-2STJUDE (1-800-278-5833).

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:

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. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. No child is ever denied treatment because of the family's inability to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit www.stjude.org.

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091104/NY05001
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Video: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/stjude/40838

Source: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

CONTACT: Kelly Ramirez, EuroRSCG Latino, +1-917-854-4207,
kellyramirez@eurorscg.com; Erika Mayor, ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research
Hospital, +1-305-260-4495, erika.mayor@stjude.org

Web Site: http://www.stjude.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment