Alyssa is a spunky girl who loves to dance and be silly. In 2009, when she was 6 years old, she had a pre-cancerous growth removed from her thigh. In May of 2012, Alyssa’s parents, Angela and Remco, discovered a spot on her forearm that looked strange. After the growth was removed at a local children’s hospital, a biopsy revealed Alyssa suffered from melanoma, a skin cancer more often associated with adults.
Alyssa’s family turned to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where her treatment included additional surgeries to remove the melanoma and some of her lymph nodes. Alyssa has finished treatment and now visits St. Jude for regular checkups. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since it opened more than 50 years ago.
Without the lifesaving research and care St. Jude provides every day, my nephew and Alyssa — and countless others — would not be here today.
Alyssa's mom, Angela
As it turns out, Alyssa is not the only St. Jude patient in her family. Her cousin, Tyler, recently finished treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. “Our family is often asked to put into words what St. Jude means to us,” Angela said. “It’s almost impossible. Without the lifesaving research and care St. Jude provides every day, my nephew and Alyssa — and countless others — would not be here today.”
Recently, Alyssa was beyond thrilled to learn that during this year’s FedEx St. Jude Classic, a St. Jude plane will be named after her. “She’s so excited,” Angela said. “It’s such an honor.” Each year, a St. Jude patient who is the child of a FedEx employee is chosen to have a plane named after them. Alyssa’s dad works for FedEx, and the impact St. Jude has on the community — and his family — has not been lost on him.
“I’m proud to work for a company that cares about their employees and treats them like family,” Remco said. “Their support of St. Jude is amazing, and it makes me proud to work there.”
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Alyssa's, 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.
Meet more patients
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Meet Jamelia
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Meet patient Jacob
Jacob had frequent headaches and wasn’t himself. Diagnosed with leukemia, he was referred to St. Jude for treatment including chemotherapy to try and save his life.
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Meet Levi
Levi was found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and was quickly referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where he began chemotherapy.
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Meet Alfredo
It started when Alfredo had unexplained bruises and a constant fever. A local doctor who called for bloodwork and results confirmed that he had leukemia.
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Meet Luna
When St. Jude patient Luna started to feel sick, her parents became concerned. Doctors in Guatemala confirmed what her parents had feared, Luna had leukemia.
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Meet Griffin
As an Air Force family stationed abroad, Griffin’s family was living in Germany when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Veteran’s Day 2019.
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Meet Krew
What started out as a seemingly innocent bump on the head was later heartbreakingly revealed as cancer. Krew was diagnosed with leukemia at just 7 months old.
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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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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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Meet Scarlet
At St. Jude, Scarlet and her mom lived at Target House for half a year while Scarlet was in treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. Her family never received a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. .
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Meet Gabe
When the lights on the Christmas tree hurt Gabe’s eyes, his mom knew something was wrong.
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Meet Calvin
At St. Jude, Calvin underwent chemotherapy, proton therapy and radiation treatments for rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue. He continues to receive treatment at St. Jude, having experienced a recurrence of cancer in 2020.