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.
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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.
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Mother and daughter nurses continue to flourish at St. Jude
Mother and daughter nurses continue to flourish at St. Jude
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Pawt of the family: New facility dog repawts for duty at St. Jude
Read about Rose, the newest member of the Paws at Play program at St. Jude.
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Meet Jean Pierre
At 18, Jean Pierre is headed to university. At three years old, he was treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® for craniopharyngioma, a slow-growing brain tumor.
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Plan in Progress: St. Jude celebrates first year of telehealth services in Tupelo
St. Jude is celebrating a successful first year of providing telehealth services for children with chronic hematological diseases in North Mississippi. Read the story.
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Meet Ava
Five-year-old Ava had a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma. Referred to St. Jude, she underwent a second surgery, proton therapy and chemotherapy.
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Meet Sariyah
In the summer of 2020, photos taken of St. Jude patient Sariyah by her mother showed signs of cancerous tumors in both eyes at the age of 18 months.
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Meet Patient Lucas
Around Thanksgiving of 2020, three-year-old Lucas was complaining of headaches. His parents thought he just wanted attention. An MRI indicated something more serious.
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Meet Eri'Elle
Eri’Elle was just two years old when her troubles started. Her mother took her to a pediatrician and insisted they run tests to get to the bottom of her baby’s symptoms.
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Doggone cute: St. Jude is paw-leased to welcome employees Snuggle and CC
Read about Snuggle and CC, the two newest facility dogs who are enhancing the patient experience at St. Jude.
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Being A Father is Everything for St. Jude Patient Dad Chris
When Chris' son Calvin got a devastating diagnosis, it was the lifesaving mission of St. Jude that helped ensure his family remained intact.
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A St. Jude volunteer “meet cute” leads to engagement
Jordan Watson and Kelly Quiroz met at St. Jude while volunteering and recently got engaged to marry.
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Father’s Day: St. Jude employees share stories of inspiration
To commemorate Father's Day, read four stories of four St. Jude employees who have the unique experience of calling their fathers colleagues.
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St. Jude kindergarten graduation celebrates aspiring teachers, ballerinas…ninjas
Students in the St. Jude School Program hit a milestone by celebrating their Kindergarten graduation.
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‘A success on all fronts’
Read how St. Jude volunteers opened the door to health care career possibilities for local eighth graders during an expo at Agricenter International.