Meet Adalyn

Even before Adalyn was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, her family had supported St. Jude for decades.

St. Jude patient Adalyn with her mother

Adalyn's story

As a kindergartener, Adalyn had stomachaches that came and went but didn’t slow her down. Then she started having episodes of severe pain. In January 2022, during one of these, her mother took her to the emergency room where doctors found a large mass above her right kidney.

“We went in thinking it was constipation and came out finding out she had cancer,” said her mom. “We did not know anything about neuroblastoma. We’d never heard of it. That was a new word for us,” said Adalyn’s dad. It was a deeply scary time.

After surgery to remove the tumor at a hospital near home, Adalyn was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Both her grandmothers had supported St. Jude for decades as monthly donors and saw the referral as a sign of hope.

Families, like Adalyn's, never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

Adalyn’s dad draws a parallel between the culture at St. Jude and their own small town, where people are friendly and eager to help. He also appreciates the way his daughter’s care team communicates with each other.

Everybody’s all on the same page.

- Adalyn's dad

Adalyn, the only girl in the family, lights up when talking about her brothers and her cousin. She loves arts and crafts as well as playing tag and hide and seek.

She’s doing great. You wouldn’t think she was ever sick.

- Adalyn's mom

St. Jude patient Adalyn

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