Memphis, Tenn., August 8, 2022 — FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, together with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Purple Eagle program at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday, August 10, at TPC Southwind during the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The program annually honors a St. Jude patient who is also the child or grandchild of a FedEx team member with the naming of a Cessna Caravan aircraft.
This year’s honoree is five-year-old St. Jude patient Riley, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 18 months of age. He has now been out of treatment for over a year and will be the tenth St. Jude patient to have a plane in the FedEx feeder fleet carrying his name. Riley is the grandson of Kim, a contract transportation dispatcher at FedEx Express and a 33-year FedEx employee.
The Purple Eagle program began in 2012, and barring the COVID-19 restricted summer of 2020, has honored a pediatric cancer patient every summer since. Year one of the program also coincided with the 50-year anniversary of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The 2022 event is part of the “10 Years Strong” celebration and coincides with the 60th anniversary of St. Jude.
“The idea for this program came from attending previous then-called FedEx-St. Jude Classic tournaments and seeing the delivery trucks and vehicles we had and continue to have on display there. I thought it would be a special way to display one of our feeder aircraft and create a great program with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to bring more awareness to the lifesaving work they do,” said Bill West Jr., vice president of supplemental aircraft operations at FedEx Express. “The only named feeder planes in our fleet are the ones that are part of the Purple Eagle program. These planes are special and help us spread the word about the amazing work being done by St. Jude as it celebrates its 60th year.”
Riley’s plane, like its nine predecessors, will sport his name under the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital logo for the duration of the Cessna Caravan’s time in service as part of the FedEx Express feeder fleet. There are nearly 300 feeder turboprop airplanes in the FedEx Express fleet.
“We are incredibly grateful to our longtime friends and partners at FedEx for the special opportunity to honor Riley and celebrate all Purple Eagle Honorees,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. “For nearly four decades, FedEx leadership, employees and golf fans have supported the lifesaving mission of St. Jude through the tournament now known as the FedEx St. Jude Championship. We couldn’t be more thankful for their ongoing support, which is crucial to advancing the $12.9 billion six-year St. Jude strategic plan aimed at impacting more of the 400,000 kids with cancer around the globe.”
About FedEx Express
FedEx Express is one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express uses a global air-and-ground network to speed the delivery of time-sensitive shipments by a definite time and date.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenue of $94 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively, operating collaboratively and innovating digitally under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its 550,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children. ® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since the hospital opened in 1962. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Because of generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength, love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
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