Meet Emily
St. Jude patient Emily and the band Alabama Shakes make music to cleanse the soul.
Seventeen-year-old Emily and her older sibling, Callie, have been making music together for about as long as Emily can remember.
St. Jude patient Emily (left) and her sibling, Callie, perform together in 2008.
Music has been my everything my whole life.
It’s always been something — when I’m feeling down — I can sing with my sibling, and it just gives me a feeling that everything is gonna be OK.
In April 2016, Emily was found to have acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), an extremely rare subtype of leukemia, and was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Families 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.
Emily with her mom, Suzette (left), and her sibling, Callie
Dear @Alabama_Shakes ...
While Emily was in treatment at St. Jude, one of her favorite bands, Alabama Shakes, came to Memphis for a concert. Both siblings are fervent fans of the band, so Callie reached out to them via social media, on behalf of Emily, to ask if they would visit St. Jude.
On July 15, 2016, Alabama Shakes
arrived at St Jude.
-
The Alabama Shakes toured the hospital to see firsthand what St. Jude is all about.
-
The band viewed the Teen Art Gallery, where the drawings and paintings of teen patients are displayed in the hospital.
-
Singer Brittany Howard and the band learned about the Music Therapy program at St. Jude.
It was really enlightening coming (to St. Jude) ... you walk in and there’s kids being kids, there’s laughter, there’s art and music going on. It’s actually a really great and hopeful place to be.
'Music has the power to heal'
During Alabama Shakes' visit to St. Jude, they put on an impromptu performance with Emily and Callie. Watch the video.
My soul is cleansed. I got to sing with some of my favorite people in the world.
e
St. Jude patient Emily and her sibling, Callie, perform together at the 2017 St. Jude Jam.
Emily finished treatment in December 2016 and visits St. Jude for regular checkups.
She still enjoys making music with her sibling, and she recently started college.
You, too, can help kids who are fighting life-threatening illnesses.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Kamryn
At 2 years old, Kamryn's bloodwork indicated he had a form of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Doctors referred him to St. Jude where he would undergo more than 2 years of chemotherapy while growing to love activities like Music Therapy.
-
Meet Luxe
As a kindergartener, Luxe’s legs became so covered in bruises that her parents took her to the doctor. Luxe was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia.
-
Meet Rinoa
Rinoa had an MRI due to headaches and, later, double vision. Doctors found a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma and was soon referred to St. Jude.
-
Meet Adalyn
Adalyn had stomachaches that came and went with episodes of severe pain. At the ER, doctors found a large mass above her kidney, stage-4 high-risk neuroblastoma.
-
Meet Avyan
Avyan carries himself with confidence and strength beyond his years. His manner has given fortitude to his family as they walk through an unimaginable reality.
-
Meet Aspen
Aspen was not yet two when diagnosed with neuroblastoma. She was treated in the Philippines but six months later, the cancer was spreading so she was referred to St. Jude.
-
Meet Eliza
Eliza’s pediatrician referred her to an ophthalmologist after testing her eyes. In turn, she was referred to St. Jude as a tumor was visible in her right eye.
-
Meet Abraham
After a CT scan revealed Abraham had a mass on his brain, identified as a cancerous brain tumor called a medulloblastoma, his family turned to St. Jude for help.
-
Meet Ava
At 6 years old, Ava had a lump on her neck and tests showed she had more lumps in her belly. Tests revealed that she had a cancerous tumor and was referred to St. Jude.
-
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.
-
Meet Gideon
After Gideon was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, he was referred to St. Jude for immediate treatment.
-
Meet Brayden
Brayden received chemotherapy as well as proton therapy for medulloblastoma at the first proton therapy center in the world dedicated solely to children.
-
Meet Eri'Elle
Eri’Elle was just two years old when her troubles started. Her mother took her to a pediatrician and insisted they run tests to get to the bottom of her baby’s symptoms.
-
Meet Phoenix
Christmas Day plans for Phoenix’s family didn’t include a life-altering trip to the hospital. But at St. Jude, this close-knit family has been given hope.
-
Meet Cole
Cole is an active kid, who enjoys hiking with his dog, Stannis. Even a brain tumor can't diminish his love of life and its adventures.