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 any other hospital, the majority of our funding comes from individual contributions. And thanks to generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude.
No child should die in the dawn of life.
Cost to family: $0
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is 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 invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 50 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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R is for Robot: Automating Drug Screening
Scientists in the High-Throughput Bioscience Center use robots to automate the screening of hundreds of thousands of compounds to discover potential new drugs.
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LANDO Discovery Has Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy and Alzheimer’s Disease
Activating LANDO, or LC3-associated endocytosis, appears to offer protection against neurodegenerative disease and guard against toxic neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, including memory problems.
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Cancer Survivors Build Bridge to a Healthy Future
St. Jude helps childhood cancer survivors take control of their health by building lifelong relationships with their primary care providers.
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Scientists Collaborate to Create a Lattice Light-Sheet Microscope
To build a next-generation lattice light-sheet microscope, St. Jude neurobiologists work with a Nobel laureate and a select team of scientists.
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An Added Boost for Medulloblastoma: SJELIOT
SJELIOT, a St. Jude-led clinical trial for medulloblastoma, tests prexasertib, a drug that enhances the power of other chemotherapies.
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Paws at Play: A Message from Puggle
Therapy dogs in the St. Jude Paws at Play program make the day a little easier for patients—whether helping them relax during procedures, demonstrating how to take medicine or climbing on a mock scanner to show them MRIs aren’t scary.
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Soft Landings with the Transition Oncology Program
The new Transition Oncology Program (TOP) provides support and education to families whose children are returning home after cancer therapy.
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Minds Over Matter: St. Jude Research Collaboratives
The St. Jude Research Collaboratives unite global experts from many different institutions to answer outstanding scientific questions.
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Life after St. Jude: We are the Champions
Everyone wins when childhood cancer survivors volunteer to help tomorrow’s patients through St. Jude LIFE, the hospital’s long-term follow-up study.
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Meet Maryelle
Maryelle was diagnosed with a rare disorder that left her family with little hope.
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‘Tis the season for science: Elf rescue teaches students fun lesson
Patients in the St. Jude School Program used math and science to rescue stranded elves. Discover how they saved the holidays.
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My Corner of the World: Regina Kolaitis, PhD
Scientist turned liaison Regina Kolaitis of the St. Jude Liaison Office explains the breadth and depth of hospital’s research efforts to a non-scientific audience.
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A global family united
ALSAC President and CEO, Richard C. Shadyac Jr., reflects on how far the mission of saving children with cancer extends — from Greece to golfing tournaments.
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This holiday season, our families are grateful for your support
This holiday season, you help bring hope, peace, comfort and joy to St. Jude families. Thank you for your support.
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Physical therapist grateful for her colleagues, opportunities after earning hospital’s highest staff honor
Amanda Curry received the hospital’s highest employee honor for her work with a new mobility program for patients. Discover why she thanks and credits her colleagues.