Amir has been a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital his whole life.
Shortly after birth, his family learned he had sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that causes red blood cells to become hard and sickle-shaped, instead of soft and round.
St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases, such as sickle cell disease.
St. Jude patient Amir with mom, Deyona, and Director of Patient Services, Yvonne Carroll JD.
I knew about St. Jude. But I had no idea everything they do for the patients, how in-depth the care is.
Amir's treatment includes daily penicillin and hydroxyurea, and he visits St. Jude monthly for checkup appointments.
From our first sickle cell disease research grant in 1958, to pioneering the use of hydroxyurea in pediatric sickle cell disease patients, St. Jude has been committed to researching, understanding and improving standards of care for this disease since the very beginning.
Today, we are leading the Sickle Cell Clinical Research and Intervention Program (SCCRIP), which studies how sickle cell disease progresses over time, from childhood into adulthood, and how we can improve the quality of life for sickle cell disease patients while we continue to search for cures.
At St. Jude, they care about the family and the patient. That really means a lot.
Amir is an energetic, caring toddler who loves trucks and toy trolls.
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Amir'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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Celebrating Best Friends Day
Best Friends Day is June 8, but every day is Best Friends Day for St. Jude patients Sadie and Mia, who wear matching outfits and schedule appointments together.
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Meet Deuce
Deuce is a fun-loving kid who's undergoing treatment for a rare type of blood cancer.
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Meet Marric
Marric and his family had specific needs going into his treatment for lymph system cancer, but they never imagined how many of them would be met and exceeded at St. Jude.
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Meet Lilly
Even after a diagnosis of medulloblastoma at the age of 8, patient Lilly continues to live out her love of music and dance, one day at a time.
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Meet Patient David
David is an outgoing boy from Honduras. After he received a diagnosis of blood cancer, David was immediately referred to St. Jude.
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Meet Jamia
Jamia is weathering difficulties far beyond her years as she undergoes treatment for neuroblastoma, a type of cancer arising from nerve cells.
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Meet Colton
Colton is a 9-year-old boy who's used to being active in every area of life. And while an aggresive form of kidney cancer might have threatened that, St. Jude was right by his side.
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Meet Tammy
When Tammy's parents discovered he had anaplastic ependymoma, a type of brain tumor, they turned to St. Jude for their son's treatment.
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Meet Mabry
When Mabry was diagnosed with blood cancer, she was immediately sent to St. Jude. "Everyone here cares about your child," said her mom.
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Meet Riku
While treatment for medulloblastoma is a difficult journey for 4-year-old Riku, his parents, Noriko and Jun, are there to give him strength and support along the way.
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Meet Caitlyn
Being diagnosed with a brain tumor was one of the scariest experiences for Caitlyn and her family. But her fears are being eased with St. Jude by their side.
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Meet Patient Josiah
Josiah has been through a lot in his young life and continues to face more challenges than most. But this happy little boy has no shortage of joy.
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Meet Lillian
Lillian and her sister, Emmy, are inseparable, and always on the move. St. Jude is keeping them that way.
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Meet Alana
Alana didn't let a cancer diagnosis get in the way of her dreams for the future. Neither did St. Jude.
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Meet Sebastian
Nothing prepared Sebastian's family for the day they learned he suffered from a rare brain tumor. “We’re grateful there is a place like St. Jude,” said his mom.