Ryan, Ashley Smith Make $20 Million Donation To Primary Children’s Hospital

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashely Smith made a $20 million donation to Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital to support pediatric cancer research.

The NBA team owners announced the donation during Utah’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Vivint Arena on Monday, November 7.

The Smith’s charitable gift will “help power groundbreaking pediatric cancer research and treatments to help young cancer patients” and the “5 For The Fight Endowed Chair” at Primary Children’s.

 

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The Smith shared the following in a statement:

“Cancer has impacted everyone. It is a terrible disease and even more insidious when it impacts children. We are grateful to partner with Intermountain and Primary Children’s Hospital as they expand their work in cancer research and treatment. We are committed to helping end cancer and know the power of research to do that. In addition, the 5 For The Fight family centers in these two Primary Children’s Hospitals will be powerful places for families to connect and support each other as these children engage in their fight against cancer.” – Ryan & Ashley Smith

Excited about tonight’s announcement benefitting Intermountain’s @primarychildren hospital ❤️

We were joined by five cancer fighters to celebrate this $20 million gift from the Ryan & Ashley Smith Foundation in partnership with Utah Jazz jersey sponsor @5ForTheFight_#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/l2EcceaLh2

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 8, 2022

The donation will create 5 For The Fight family centers or “unique spaces” for families at hospitals in Salt Lake City and Primary Children’s upcoming location in Lehi.

“This tremendous endorsement from Ryan and Ashley Smith, and the confidence in our vision expressed through this partnership with 5 For The Fight honors all of us at IntermountainHealthcare, and in particular the expert caregivers who treat and help children with cancer and blood disorders at Primary Children’s Hospital every day,” David Flood president of Intermountain Foundation and Chief Development Officer for Intermountain Healthcare said in a statement. “This gift will help us continue our work to strengthen pediatric cancer treatment and research for children in Utah and beyond, and power our Primary Promise to create the nation’s model health system for children. We are incredibly thankful for their generosity.

5 For The Fight

The Jazz have a jersey patch sponsored by Qualtrics in support of the “5 for the Fight” campaign. Smith is Qualtrics’ CEO. According to Forbes, the Jazz “5 for the Fight” jersey patch has raised more than $25 million towards cancer research.

.@Qualtrics will sponsor @UtahJazz jersey patch. All Jazz uniforms will have https://t.co/XKRZtNfusG logo. Raising $50M for cancer research pic.twitter.com/rwlQIzJ3BA

— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) February 13, 2017

Qualtrics, a subscription-based software company located in Provo, Utah purchased the 2 1/2 inch square of jersey space in 2017 and committed to using the opportunity to raise money in the fight against cancer. Three years later the company has raised more than half of its $50 million goal.

“We were going to do the largest marketing spend we had ever done by 3X and we were giving it away to cancer,” Smith told Forbes. “The board said ‘Ryan, you have brought some crazy stuff to us, but this is the craziest thing yet.'”

The campaign invites everyone to donate $5 for the fight against cancer. The Jazz patch is the first-ever cause-related sponsorship in the history of North American professional sports and is the only cause-related jersey patch in the NBA.

❤️🔔 Erika rings the bell to celebrate the end of her cancer treatment 🔔❤️ #5ForTheFight | @5ForTheFight_ pic.twitter.com/QcVWyyvM6r

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 30, 2022

In 2019, Qualtrics extended its relationship with the Jazz as the team’s jersey sponsor through the 2022-23 season.