RA Sushi announced a fundraising milestone of $150,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2018, and the continuation of its year-round fundraising initiative to support children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

For 14 years, RA Sushi celebrated Nicky’s Week, raising awareness and nearly $2 million for St. Jude, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Starting in 2018, the nation’s only coast-to-coast sushi restaurant brand extended its support of the hospital to a year-round fundraising initiative.

The brand’s initiative will continue with $2 from every purchase of the Hot Mess, Gojira Roll and Chicken Teriyaki directly supporting the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.

“Food is a great way to bring people together and we’re excited to keep this partnership going with such an accomplished organization like St. Jude,” says Kate Pendergast, vice president of operations at RA Sushi. “It’s truly a gift to be able to impact the lives of patients and families, and we’re honored to help.”

Thanks to the support from partnerships like this, St. Jude has helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened more than 50 years ago. Funds raised through efforts like RA Sushi’s “RA”ckin’ for Nicky help ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because St. Jude believes all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

The RA Sushi fundraiser honors the life of Nicholas Mailliard, who lost his battle with pediatric cancer in 2005 at the age of 13. Nicky was the nephew of Rich Howland, one of RA Sushi’s founders. His battle with cancer deeply impacted the RA Sushi family and inspired the restaurant’s support of St. Jude.