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.
Seeking treatment?
Our approach makes us different from most children’s hospitals. Learn more about seeking treatment for your child at St. Jude.
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."
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.
No child should die in the dawn of life.
Danny Thomas, founder
Cost to family: $0
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
St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world.
Our goal: 100% survival
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.
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.
-
Meet Felicity
With a diagnosis of 5 tumors in her brain and spine, Felicity is facing a struggle, but you wouldn't know it by the constant smile on her face.
-
Flipping for St. Jude
Brianna was inspired by a television commercial for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to lead a Push-up/Pull-up Challenge fundraiser at her school.
-
Generations of giving
This multi-generational family is devoted to raising money for St. Jude. Find out the many ways they are giving back.
-
Emily's pledge
Former patient Emily is taking a major step in her life, by attending college and pledging to both to Tri Delta and St. Jude.
-
Backyard Talent Show
A group of kids is showing the world that fundraising for St. Jude doesn’t have to be left up to the adults through the wildly successful Backyard Talent Show.
-
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
To mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, St. Jude is honoring some of our dedicated Hispanic employees. Learn more about their work.
-
Meet Braxton
Braxton was discovered to have a brain tumor at just 6 weeks old, with more scary news to follow. But St. Jude has given this family a lot to look forward to.
-
Journey to the Jude: Lyudmila Tsurkan, PhD, Hematology, Kazakhstan
St. Jude lead researcher Lyudmila Tsurkan of Hematology smiles when recalling her childhood in the central Asian nation of Kazakhstan.
-
Journey to the Jude: Augustine Ntah, Security, Cameroon
Ntah said his welcoming personality stems from his heritage, of which he is immensely proud. He thinks of St. Jude as an extension of his homeland, the central African country of Cameroon.
-
Journey to the Jude: Besian Sejdiu, Structural Biology, Kosovo
Sejdiu is proud to serve an organization that is a locally, nationally and internationally respected driving force in research, pediatrics and employee recruitment.
-
Veteran mechanic reflects on fatherhood, St. Jude experiences
Former U.S. Army diesel mechanic Dennis Hart has served four years as a maintenance mechanic at St. Jude and says he loves working here because of the positive atmosphere.
-
St. Jude kindergarteners celebrate resilience and recess at 2023 graduation
In the 15th year of kindergarten graduations, St. Jude Imagine Academy by Chili’s kindergarteners were honored as part of a virtual ceremony.
-
St. Jude high school seniors graduate with ambition and gratitude
In the 17th year of high school graduations at St. Jude, St. Jude Imagine Academy by Chili’s honored this year’s graduates during the annual high school commencement.
-
Journey to the Jude: Hamda Khan, Hematology, Pakistan
As a medical anthropologist, Hamda Khan studies various social determinants that contribute to the health of patients with chronic illnesses. Learn more about her journey to St. Jude.
-
Mother admires daughter’s journey from St. Jude patient to employee
Mother and daughter bond over their time from patient family to employees at St. Jude.