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About Us

St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. 

With your support, St. Jude can provide cutting-edge treatment at no cost to families.

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Our mission statement

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.


 
A patient sits on a hospital bed with her mom, looking at the equipment around them

Seeking treatment?

Our approach makes us different from most children’s hospitals. Learn more about seeking treatment for your child at St. Jude.

Why choose St. Jude?

 
St. Jude founder Danny Thomas stands on the St. Jude campus in a vintage photo

Our history

Founder and entertainer Danny Thomas opened the doors to St. Jude in 1962 with the dream that “no child should die in the dawn of life."

Learn more about our history

 
Patient Hudson sits on his mom's lap in a colorful room

Why support us?

Unlike other hospitals, the majority of our funding comes from individual contributions. And thanks to generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

Why support St. Jude

 
 

No child should die in the dawn of life.

Danny Thomas, founder

 
 

Cost to family: $0

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

 

Saving kids worldwide

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St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world.

 

Our goal: 100% survival

St. Jude has helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80%

Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 60 years ago.

 
 
 
Patient Eri'Elle smiles up at a sky as she lifts her arms up

Our stories

Meet our patients, families, supporters, and staff and experience the innovative research, pioneering treatments and inspirational stories that happen at St. Jude every day. Experience our stories.

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