Bryce has been a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital since he was 8 weeks old when his parents, Bruce and Adrienne, learned he had sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder that results in red blood cells becoming hard and sickle-shaped. The shape disrupts the normal flow of blood in the body, which can cause painful and sometimes life-threatening side effects.
“We were in a panic, we were in shock,” Adrienne said. “But from our first visit to St. Jude, someone was there to talk to us, to tell us about sickle cell disease. They had a plan, they had a team in place for us. That meant I could focus on just being a mom to Bryce.”
Bryce’s treatment includes penicillin and hydroxyurea, which is a drug used to help reduce cell sickling as well as many of the major complications of sickle cell disease. “St. Jude reminded me to set goals for Bryce, just like we do with his sister, Chloe,” said Adrienne. “They helped me focus on the good. And even with our challenges, we’ve had so many more good days than bad.”
Bryce is a happy, energetic kid who asks a lot of questions, loves playing with his sister and putting together puzzles. “There’s a real possibility we could see a cure for sickle cell during Bryce’s lifetime, and that’s priceless for us,” Adrienne said. “St. Jude gives us hope.”
Help families, like Bryce's, focus on what matters most
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything, because all they should worry about is helping their child live.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Leonay
In 2015, Leonay developed a fever that wouldn’t go away. Her doctor in Jamaica ordered tests, which revealed she had cancer.
-
Meet Tamara
Rosaline knew something was wrong with her daughter, Tamara. When she decided to pay for an MRI at a private clinic, it likely saved her daughter’s life.
-
Meet Khamoni
Khamoni’s mother was afraid her disease wasn't survivable, but St. Jude has increased the survival rates for Khamoni’s type of leukemia to 94 percent today.
-
Meet Saniya
When 3-year-old Saniya was a baby, her parents noticed a glare in one of her eyes. She was referred to St. Jude and diagnosed with retinoblastoma.
-
Meet Courtney
Audrey feared for her unborn child. Would her daughter, Courtney, inherit the disease that had killed Audrey's nephew?
-
Meet Da'Maya
Da'Maya's initial symptoms seemed minor. But after her mom, Sywanda, noticed she seemed sleepy in church, she became worried. A biopsy revealed cancer.
-
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.
-
Meet Keeton
Five-year-old Keeton hasn’t let cancer slow him down. Find out what St. Jude means to Keeton's family.
-
Meet D'Avalon
D’Avalon has been fighting sickle cell disease since he was a newborn. But thanks to treatment at St. Jude, he's able to look to the future with optimism.
-
Meet Gabby
Gabby is a toddler from Jamaica with a bright personality. When tests showed that Gabby could have a cancerous tumor, her mom turned to St. Jude for help.
-
Meet Tony
Tony wasn’t quite a year old when his family learned he had ALL, a type of blood cancer. At St. Jude, he began chemotherapy immediately.
-
Meet Amir
Though Amir has only known sickle cell disease and St. Jude since he was born, he's at a hospital that has been pioneering the treatment of the disease for more than 50 years.
-
Meet Aniya
“The first thing on my mind was making sure I had the money to pay for treatment,” says Aniya’s mom. But Aniya’s family will never receive a bill from St. Jude.
-
Meet Deunta
At only 2 weeks of age, Deunta was found to have sickle cell disease. St. Jude has taken major steps in its sickle cell program to help kids like Deunta.
-
Meet Mya
This year, patient Mya, who's receiving treatment for sickle cell disease, was selected to have a FedEx plane named after her at the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
