How do we honor those no longer with us? A favorite quote on a monument? A bouquet of flowers left graveside on a birthday?
For one grieving grandfather, it was a 900-mile trip by mule from his home in Maryland to the campus of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Tom Cashman’s granddaughter, Erin, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue, when she was 12 years old. Erin passed away, but as a memorial, her grandfather wanted to raise funds and awareness for St. Jude.
Awareness was a given.
“It’s not every day you see a mule riding through town, so I thought it would draw attention anyway,” Cashman said upon arriving in Memphis one autumn afternoon in 2017, surprisingly upbeat for a man who had just spent 12 days in the saddle.
Cashman, riding on Homer the mule, stayed as near as possible to main highways, using maps and GPS on his son, Patrick’s, cell phone to navigate to Memphis. Patrick followed his father in a truck pulling Homer’s trailer with a sign reading, “Riding for a Cure.” “We took secondary roads and tried to hit state parks because you can camp at some of them with horses,” Cashman said.
In preparation for the trip, Cashman, recently retired as manager of a thoroughbred farm, consulted with police who told him there was no law against traveling by mule as long as he stayed off the interstate. He laughed, “I said, ‘Well, Homer’s too fast for that anyway.’”
People along the way kept his spirits up by honking and giving him a friendly thumbs up. “One time we stopped to get gas and somebody gave us a $20 donation,” he said. “I thought that was pretty cool.”
On Cashman’s 200-acre farm in Maryland, Erin would often visit to ride the mules, and Homer was her favorite. “I used to put her in the paddock, and she and her friends would ride. So I thought, you know, she can ride with me in spirit.”
As he stood petting the mule’s nose, he described Homer as being “quiet, laid-back and easygoing.” And so is Cashman himself, but his face lit up, and his speech quickened when talking about his granddaughter.
She was a great girl. You know how sick she was, but every time you went in to see her, she said, ‘Enough about me, how are you doing?’ That used to tear me up because she always thought about others.
Tom Cashman, describing his late granddaughter Erin, a former patient of St. Jude
Though he was the one who had just ridden so far south by mule — a feat most wouldn’t, or couldn’t, accomplish — Cashman was in awe of the work being done by St. Jude and the fact that families whose kids are in treatment never receive a bill for anything.
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.
“It’s the greatest thing in the world,” he said. “I mean, that’s the last thing a parent needs when their child is sick is to worry about bills. How do these people keep going? Well, maybe I can do just a little something to give back, that’s the reason I got the idea to do it. I hope and pray that it never stops, because I think they’ll find a cure someday.”
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means 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.
Read more inspiring stories
-
A sequence of festive events: ‘Gene Gnome’ delivers holiday hijinks to St. Jude
See how Gene Gnome is bringing some holiday fun to the research community at St. Jude.
-
St. Jude employees have many reasons to say thanks
In a challenging year, read why St. Jude employees are thankful this holiday season.
-
St. Jude resource group supports efforts of veterans, active duty personnel and families
Veterans are an important part of the workforce at St. Jude. Learn how the hospital’s Military Support Resource Group helps employee veterans and active duty personnel.
-
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
To mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, St. Jude is honoring some our dedicated Hispanic employees. Learn more about their work.
-
Preparing for a Pandemic
The staff at St. Jude go above and beyond to ensure patient and employee safety throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Read how St. Jude employees collaborate and innovate during this time.
-
Working like a dog: St. Jude Paws at Play celebrates six months of canine care
Brittany Reed and Shandra Taylor share their thoughts on how Puggle and Huckleberry have made an impact on the hospital and their lives. Read their reflections.
-
Journey to the Jude: Escaping war and poverty in his homeland, chef Johnny Siv develops culinary talents to feed the St. Jude community
After escaping the war-torn nation of his youth, chef Johnny Siv uses food to give back to the patients at St. Jude. Read more about his remarkable journey.
-
Tracing Martine Roussel’s independent streak from Africa to the National Academy of Sciences
Martine Roussel, PhD, is renowned for investigations into molecular-level causes of cancer and strategies in developing new treatments for pediatric brain tumors. Read about her journey.
-
Chaplain Kimberly Russell uses creative talent to adapt spiritual care board for St. Jude patients
Learn how St. Jude chaplain Kimberly Russell helps non-verbal patients communicate spiritual needs.
-
Welcoming all who enter
Janice Ivory has given out tens of thousands of smiles to the patients, staff and families of St. Jude over the last 32 years.
-
Celebrating Black History Month
We reflect on our heroes: doctors, patients and supporters who have been a part of our lifesaving mission.
-
Journey to the Jude: Inspired by global adventures, postdoc recruiter Deanna Tremblay seeks world-class scientists
Inspired by her global adventures, postdoc recruiter Deanna Tremblay of Academic Programs seeks world-class scientists.
-
Pediatric Cancer Genome Project sparks a decade of discovery
Leaders at St. Jude launched a bold initiative in 2010 to define the genomic landscape of pediatric cancer.
-
‘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.
-
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.