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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Meet Ari'yanna
Ari'Yanna and her mom, D'Yana, are navigating the difficult, and at times painful, journey of sickle cell disease with St. Jude by their side.
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Our Patient Stories
Be inspired by stories about our patients on their journey from diagnosis to treatment of childhood cancer and other diseases treated at St. Jude.
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Meet Kenlie
Over the last eight years, St. Jude patient Kenlie underwent treatment for synovial sarcoma, and remained anything but discouraged.
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Meet Ty
After a CT scan revealed a mass the size of a small peach in Ty’s brain, his family made the journey from a California farm to St. Jude for further treatment.
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Meet Kensley
Kensley is a happy baby who's undergone 28 rounds of chemotherapy for anaplastic astrocytoma, and wears a smile wherever she goes.
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Meet Stanyiah
Stanyiah’s family was devastated when they learned she suffered from sickle cell disease.
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Meet Isaac
St. Jude patient Isaac loves his older siblings, Matthew and Alyssa. When he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, Alyssa was there to save the day.
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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 Monroe
Before he was found to have cancer, Monroe and his girlfriend were supporting St. Jude through Team Up for St. Jude.
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Meet Maya
In 2012, two strangers began their separate journeys to a place they'd eventually come to share and a bond they would always treasure.
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Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - Meet Tony
Tony wasn’t quite a year old when his family learned he suffered from ALL, a type of blood cancer. At St. Jude, he began chemotherapy immediately.
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How patients spent the summer
From the woods to the ocean, St. Jude patients and their families took plenty of exciting trips this summer! Read about their adventures.
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Meet Ashley
When tests revealed Ashley suffered from blood cancer, her parents were devastated. “Your whole world comes crashing down on you,” said Ashley’s dad.
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Meet Hannah
After receiving a devastating diagnosis, Hannah's family turned to St. Jude, where they would be free to focus on her treatment.
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Meet Cameron
Cameron is an exceptionally caring boy who has charisma and a resilience that's helping him push through while he's treated for medulloblastoma at St. Jude.
