When Audrey was six months pregnant, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital tested her to determine whether her unborn daughter, Courtney, would be born with sickle cell disease. The disease had killed Audrey’s nephew, and the memories of the pain he suffered haunted her.
The tests on Courtney came back positive for sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that causes red blood cells to become hard and sickle-shaped, instead of soft and round.
Children and adults with the disease may experience symptoms that range from severe pain to strokes, pneumonia, organ damage or death.
When Courtney was 2 months old, St. Jude doctors started her on drug treatment. She takes hydroxyurea, a medication that causes the body to produce healthy cells. Courtney, who visits St. Jude monthly, is thriving.
She loves to act, sing, design clothes and dance.
Help give hope to kids like Courtney who are fighting life-threatening illnesses. Become a Partner In Hope monthly donor today.
Meet more patients
-
St. Jude patients and their Halloween traditions
Halloween is a fun time of year for kids, whether they’re carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating or telling stories about ghouls and ghosts. See how St. Jude patients celebrate at home and at the hospital.
-
Meet Belle
Two-year-old Belle and her parents were devastated when they were confronted with a horrifying diagnosis. Today, they're finding peace and hope at St. Jude.
-
Meet Mimi
Mimi is from the Cayman Islands, and came to St. Jude for treatment. Three years after arriving, her mom was diagnosed as well. They found strength in each other, and in St. Jude.
-
Meet Elechi
Elechi is a teenager with sickle cell disease who's not letting her disease get in the way of her globetrotting adventures and daily activities.
-
Meet patient David
David is the kid that everyone knows. He loves school and being with friends, which made time away from them hard as he underwent treatment for a type of soft tissue cancer.
-
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.
-
Meet Braxton
Braxton was discovered to have a brain tumor at just 6 weeks old, with more scary news to follow. But St. Jude has given this family a lot to look forward to.
-
Meet Cassidy
Cassidy has two sisters with whom she is close, and they've been with her every step of the way as she undergoes treatment for blood cancer.
-
Meet Michael
When Michael's family received the shocking news of his diagnosis for rhabdomyosarcoma, they made the long journey from Singapore to St. Jude to receive proton therapy.
-
Meet Matthew
Matthew seemed to have a cold he just couldn't shake. But when a chest X-ray showed a severely enlarged thymus, he was rushed to St. Jude by helicopter.
-
Jordyn's Journey Continues
A competitive gymnast, Jordyn's aches and pains were thought to be a sports injury. Then, she was found to have blood cancer. Thanks to St. Jude, her story doesn't end here.
-
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.
-
Meet Carlos
Carlos had always been an active kid who enjoyed jumping, climbing and running. So when he stopped doing those activities altogether, his parents became concerned, eventually leading to a diagnosis of neuroblastoma.
-
Great Dad Jokes
One of our St. Jude dads has some awesome dad jokes! Watch his son's reaction.
-
My daughter has cancer: A dad's story
Marcus reflects on having a daughter with cancer being treated at St. Jude.