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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Reason to celebrate
When patients receiving chemotherapy finish treatment, St. Jude celebrates with a No More Chemo party.
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Meet Olivia
Olivia's parents have always been supporters of St. Jude, but it wasn't until Olivia was admitted that they truly understood what a special place St. Jude is.
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Meet Hadley
Hadley and her family weren't expecting to experience hope when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, but that's what they found at St. Jude.
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Meet Bailey
St. Jude patient Bailey surprises St. Jude Childhood Cancer Awareness Month ambassador and actress Lucy Hale.
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Meet Elliott
Elliott is social and loves the outdoors. He also loves St. Jude, where he's being treated for leukemia.
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Meet Jordyn
A competitive gymnast, Jordyn's aches and pains were thought to be a sports injury. Then, she was found to have blood cancer.
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Meet Kayla
Kayla endured two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy with grace and style. She ends it with a St. Jude tradition: the "No 'Mo Chemo" party.
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Meet Tayde
As a child, Tayde traveled from Mexico when her doctor referred her to St. Jude for cancer treatment. Today, her dream of becoming a mother has finally come true.
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Meet Felicity
With a diagnosis of 5 tumors in her brain and spine, Felicity is facing a struggle, but you wouldn't know it by the constant smile on her face.
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Meet Elani
At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Elani receives treatment for sickle cell disease, a group of blood disorders that prevent the normal flow of blood in the body.
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Meet Eden
In 2014, tests revealed Eden had cancer. Her family turned to St. Jude, where Eden is undergoing two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy.
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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 Imani
Imani was diagnosed with cancer at 5 weeks old. Her family feared the worst. But at St. Jude, there was hope for her future.
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Meet Claire
Claire is an adventurous girl from Utah who loves spending time outside with her siblings. And the cancerous brain tumor she's being treated for won't get in the way of that, with the help of St. Jude.
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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.