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St. Jude patient Ay'Den wearing a blue shirt, smiling outside.
 

Ay'Den is a sweetheart

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Ay'Den is a gentle kid with a ready smile – "a sweetheart," his mother would say – who loves to color, run around with the dogs and play video games.

One day, seven-year-old Ay’Den fell at school and everything changed.

He hadn't been feeling well that morning but went to school anyway. He collapsed and his mother was called to pick him up.

 
St. Jude patient Ay'Den, smiling outside with wide open arms.
 
 

Ay'Den's mom took him to their local doctor and blood tests revealed that his white blood cell count was very high.

That’s when Ay’Den and his mom heard the news: Ay’Den was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

 
St. Jude patient Ay'Den, smiling with his mother.

St. Jude patient Ay'Den with his mom

 

Ay’Den was quickly referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he began receiving chemotherapy to try to save his life.

 
 

Families, like Ay'Den's, will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

 
 
St. Jude patient Ay'Den and his mother embracing outside the hospital, smiling.
 

Sharvae, Ay'Den's mom, was surprised to find out how much St. Jude does for families.

Seeing her child through cancer during a pandemic was more than difficult, but St. Jude gave her renewed hope.

 
St. Jude patient Ay'Den, smiling outside the hospital.
 
 
St. Jude patient Ay'Den smiling outside with his mom while flexing his bicep.
 

St. Jude made us comfortable. I don’t know what I would have done without them.

— Sharvae, Ay'Den's mom

Ay’Den has now successfully finished cancer treatment. 

 
 

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. With your support, we’ll be one step closer to that day. Join St. Jude in recognizing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Let’s cure childhood cancer. Together.

Donate Now Learn About Childhood Cancer

 
 
 

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