Paying tribute to a loved one

Paying tribute is a beautiful way to recognize the impact someone's life had on their family members, close friends and community. With endless options, deciding how to honor someone’s memory can feel overwhelming. To help make it easier, we’ve provided seven meaningful ways you can pay a special tribute to a loved one.

Make a Tribute Donation Become a Partner in Hope

 
Colorful stained glass window with the words "in memory" and the St. Jude logo.
 
 

7 meaningful ways to pay tribute to someone who has passed away

 
 
Colorful flowers on the St. Jude campus.
 

1. Perform acts of kindness in their honor

Paying tribute to a lost loved one doesn’t have to end after a memorial service or eulogy; the celebration of their life can continue for years to come. One of the simplest ways to celebrate a life is to spread compassion in their memory. These memorial acts, in the form of kindnesses, can be small or large, so long as your loved one is in mind as they are done. Consider the following:

  • Complimenting or holding open the door for others
  • Donating flowers to a local hospital or retirement center
  • Leaving a generous tip when eating at a restaurant
  • Offering your seat to someone on public transportation
  • Starting a pay-it-forward chain at their favorite coffee or dessert shop 
 
 
Walls of plaques on the St. Jude campus.
 

2. Dedicate a bench, plaque or monument in their name

Dedicating a specific bench, plaque or other monument in someone’s name is a lasting way to commemorate them or a precious shared memory. These once-ordinary items will now serve as a reminder of your friend or family member and the impact they had on the lives around them. You might consider engraving a quote from your loved one onto the memorial to encapsulate the energy they provided to others, so that their light may continue for the world to see. 

 
 

3. Plant a memorial garden or tree

Similar to a dedicated bench or plaque, a living memorial creates a long-lasting tribute. Planting memorial trees, flower patches or community gardens is a great way to commemorate someone’s life while enhancing the community and the environment.

 
Artwork by patient Carson of a tree with bees, a honeycomb, a butterlfy and birds nearby.

Artwork by St. Jude patient Carson
 
 
Scenic view of the Mississippi River, Tom Lee Park and the Memphis skyline.
 

4. Give back to their community

Giving back to the community that your loved one was a part of is a meaningful and impactful way to honor their life. Depending on the community, you might consider:

  • Baking cookies for the local police or fire departments
  • Donating funds to a cause that was important to them
  • Donating high-need items to local women and children shelters or homeless shelters
  • Serving at a homeless shelter or community kitchen
  • Volunteering at a local hospital or animal shelter
  • Picking up litter and debris at their favorite public park 
 
 

5. Organize a charity walk, run or event in their memory

Creating an annual fundraiser is another great way to provide ongoing impact in honor of a loved one. Organizing a charity walk, run or other event allows their memory to live on and creates continuing support for a community or charity organization that was important to them.

Possibilities for a memorial event or activity are endless, but one way to narrow down the options and make it more personal is to incorporate an activity that your loved one enjoyed. Were they a movie buff? Consider throwing a themed movie night where the proceeds are donated to their favorite charity. Did they love to bake or work with their hands? Consider throwing a bake-off or hosting an art gala filled with art they or their friends and family created.

 
Runners run in downtown Memphis near the Mississippi River.
 
 
A graduation cap is tossed into the air on a bright day.
 

6. Establish a fund or scholarship 

If your friend or family member loved academics or was passionate about a specific sport or hobby, you might consider establishing a fund or scholarship in their name to highlight their life while also providing space for others to participate in the things they felt most passionate about. 

 
 

7. Make a memorial donation 

Making a memorial donation is a poignant way to recognize the loss of a loved one. A donation to your loved one’s favorite charity or to a cause that was close to them not only honors their memory but also encourages positive change and helps establish a purposeful legacy. 

Make a Memorial Donation

 
Colorful stained glass window showing a tree.
 
 

What are the benefits of making a tribute donation? 

In addition to creating a positive legacy and an ongoing impact, paying tribute to a lost loved one can also help create a space of healing and remembrance. Tributes can come in various forms and help create an annual tradition of honoring your loved one’s dreams, accomplishments and life. Depending on the type of contribution you choose, tributes can also provide a space for others to participate in honoring your loved one. 

 
 

Why choose St. Jude when paying tribute to a loved one?

 
 
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Families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

 
 
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When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer.

 
 
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Every child deserves a chance to live their best life and celebrate every moment. When you support St. Jude, you help give kids with cancer around the world that chance. Together, we can save more lives.

 
 
 
 

The impact of your donation on St. Jude patients and families

Because of your support, we can provide children cutting-edge treatments not covered by insurance, at no cost to families. See the impact your donation can make:

  1. $350 could help provide 30 platelet count tests*

    Donate $350

     
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  2. $500 could help cover the cost of 25 sets of IV tubing for chemotherapy*

    Donate $500

     
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  3. $750 could help cover the cost of a spinal tap*

    Donate $750

     
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  4. $1,000 could help cover the cost of three chest X-rays*

    Donate $1,000

     
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  5. $2,500 could help cover the cost of two days of outpatient visits*

    Donate $2,500

     
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  6. $5,000 could help provide three days of chemotherapy administered intravenously to leukemia or solid tumor patients*

    Donate $5,000

     
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* When you make a donation using this information, your donation will be used to provide breakthrough research, treatment and cures. Items listed here are representative of services and supplies that are part of the treatment and care of children at St. Jude. The cost of each item or service is an approximation, and will vary based on actual costs incurred and individual patient needs. Your donation will be used for the general operating needs of St. Jude, where no family ever receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.

 
 

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