How did St. Jude Medical get its name?
The company was founded in 1976 by Manuel Villafana. Shortly after the birth of his son, Jude Villafana, doctors discovered a life-threatening condition in Jude and many people began praying to St. Jude, the patron Saint of Lost or Hopeless Causes. Surgery was required and performed at both the University of Minnesota hospital and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota USA. Dr. Bryan Neel conducted corrective surgery at the Mayo Clinic. As a way of saying thank you, Mr. Villafana named his new company St. Jude Medical. To learn more, see History of St. Jude Medical.
