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St. Jude patient Brayden holding a portrait of himself when he was in treatment for cancer.

St. Jude patient Brayden

 
 
 
St. Jude patient Brayden smiling while looking at the camera.
 

Brayden's story

In the summer of 2018, after days of an unrelenting headache, Brayden was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma. On the day he should have started kindergarten, he underwent brain surgery instead.

 
 

Following surgery, Brayden was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he received chemotherapy and proton therapy at the first proton therapy center in the world dedicated solely to children. After several months, Brayden went home cancer free. He stayed that way for five years.

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St. Jude patient Brayden flexes his arms.
 
 
St. Jude patient Brayden wearing batter's gloves and holding a baseball at a Memphis Redbirds game.
 

During those years, his family relished the joy of the everyday: pushing Brayden on the swing, playing baseball in the backyard.

Just to be able to go for a walk and sit down and do homework with him, and he’s healthy enough to be able to do that. It’s a great time.

Brayden's dad

 
 

Then, during a routine checkup at St. Jude, scans showed cancer in Brayden’s thyroid gland. He would have to return to St. Jude as a cancer patient for the second time.

Since returning, Brayden has undergone two surgeries and radioactive iodine treatment that kept him isolated even from family for 48 hours after each dose.

 
St. Jude patient Brayden smiling as his mom and dad kiss his head.

St. Jude patient Brayden with his family

 
 

Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.

 
 
St. Jude patient Brayden wearing a face mask while sitting in a hospital bed at St. Jude.
 

Cancer is hard; you have to get through a lot, but St. Jude is wonderful.

St. Jude patient Brayden

 
 
St. Jude patient Brayden smiling with his parents.
 

Brayden is a sweet and loving kid with a ready smile, despite the challenges he has faced. “You can’t look at that smile and not smile back,” said his dad. “I think a lot of people can learn from him. I have.”

Brayden loves video games and playing with his friends. He has two cats named Small Bones and Sticker, and is a big Tennessee Titans fan.

 
 
St. Jude patient Brayden flexing his arms.
 

When you support St. Jude, you can help make cures possible for kids with cancer, like Brayden. Together, we can save more lives.

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