Clinical trial helps Micah and future patients like him

Four-year-old Micah radiates energy, his excitement limitless. This is especially true when it is time for his monthly checkup. He moves between waiting areas, using favored toys at each. Once in an examination room, he plans what game, whether hide-and-seek or space battle, he’s going to pull his care team members into. But two and a half years ago, things were very different.

Micah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and rushed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. There, his parents chose to enroll him in Total Therapy XVII, a clinical trial investigating how to give tailored leukemia treatments to children, minimizing long-term side effects while maintaining effectiveness. The trial is led by Hiroto Inaba, MD, PhD, Member, Division of Leukemia/Lymphoma, Department of Oncology at St. Jude. 

“Right after Micah was diagnosed, Dr. Inaba walked us through every part of the trial before we agreed to participate,” said Courtney, Micah’s mother. Though she has worked as a nurse, she appreciated that the St. Jude team still explained the science in plain language and outlined the trial’s benefits for Micah and others. “We decided to do whatever it would take for Micah, but also to help future patients.”

“Knowing Dr. Inaba was the lead investigator for the trial made us feel so blessed to have him as our doctor,” said Casey, Micah’s father. “He could answer all of our questions about the study and tell us how we could give Micah the best chance for a successful treatment.”

Micah is now cancer-free and weeks away from taking his last chemotherapy dose, leading the family to reflect on the most stressful experience of their lives and the support they received.

“We helped with fundraisers for St. Jude before Micah was diagnosed, but you just don’t understand the impact of every dollar until you experience it,” Casey said. We never paid a bill but also received every type of support, not just Dr. Inaba, but a childcare specialist to help Micah’s older sister adjust, a case manager to help navigate administrative work, a social worker, a therapist and other specialists for whatever else we needed.”

Micah connected with each care team member and the hospital itself. He’s already expressed concern that he won’t be coming to St. Jude as often after finishing his treatment this summer. “Micah’s going to miss it,” Courtney said. “St. Jude made him feel so special; it’s become more than a hospital. It’s a home away from home.”

Micah now pretends he is Dr. Inaba, working at “his” hospital. “He tells us all the time he wants to be a doctor at St. Jude to help sick kids like him,” Casey said. “It just shows the impact it’s had on him.”

In the future, Micah could become the next Dr. Inaba and make a professional home at St. Jude  or pursue a different path. The important thing is that thanks to his participation in the St. Jude clinical trial, he, and other children like him, will now have that choice.