A high school graduation is a major milestone. In lives touched by childhood cancer, this milestone may be more meaningful still.
Hailey was found to have a rare, cancerous brain tumor called ependymoma when she was only 2 years old. Since that time, the cancer has recurred on three occasions — when Hailey was 11 years old, again at 15, and again at 17. Each time, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has been at the ready, treating Hailey without ever sending her family a bill. 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.
“I’ve grown up going to St. Jude," said Hailey. “It’s like home for me, honestly. I’ve been going to St. Jude for 17 years, so it’s helped my family a lot to not have to pay out of pocket for my medical bills. St. Jude has helped us so much! We appreciate everything they have done for us!”
Hailey celebrates a major milestone in her life — her high school graduation.
When Hailey graduated from high school last year, it was an occasion for celebration. “Our family knew we wanted to do something together as a family before I went off on my own,” said Hailey. “My brother and I had never been on a cruise, so we thought that would be a great way to spend time together.” While aboard the cruise ship, the family travelled to Belize, Cozumel, Costa Rica and Honduras. Honduras was Hailey’s favorite.
Hailey recently finished her freshman year at college, where she made the Chancellor’s and Dean’s lists with a 4.0 GPA and is studying psychology. “I’m so excited about the future,” she said. “I love my major, so I know I’m definitely going in the right direction, and I’m excited to see what God has in store.”
Help give hope to kids who are fighting life-threatening illnesses.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Thiago
Thiago loves to dance to the rhythm of his dad's djembe. In 2019, he was born with bubble boy disease and was referred to St. Jude where he underwent a new gene therapy to save his life.
-
Meet Aaron-James
At age 2, after being diagnosed with sickle cell disease, Aaron-James came to St. Jude where he loves talking to the nurses and doctors.
-
Meet Imani
Imani was diagnosed with cancer at 5 weeks old. Her family feared the worst. But at St. Jude, there was hope for her future.
-
Meet Leah
Leah is a big sister who loves dresses, shopping, singing and helping in the kitchen. In March 2019, she was referred to St. Jude for acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment, which included a transplant with her mother as her donor.
-
Meet Elliott
Elliott is social and loves the outdoors. He also loves St. Jude, where he's being treated for leukemia.
-
Meet Dahiralis
Dahiralis is a very active little girl who loves to play, jump and run everywhere. At 3 years of age, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancerous tumor, and was referred to St. Jude where doctors provided her much-needed treatment and care.
-
Meet Melanie
When Melanie was diagnosed with brain cancer and referred to St. Jude, she wasn’t nervous. She was actually looking forward to treatment — chemotherapy, proton therapy and visits from St. Jude therapy dog Huckleberry — because to Melanie, St. Jude meant getting well again.
-
Meet Harmony
Harmony is artistic, detailed-oriented and loves to debate. When she noticed something was wrong on her walks to class, no one expected the cause to be a stage four Wilms tumor.
-
Meet Marina
Marina is a joyful 2-year-old who loves to laugh and dance with her siblings. She was referred to St. Jude after a white glimmer in her pupil led to her being diagnosed with retinoblastoma, an eye cancer.
-
Meet Kaitlyn
Kaitlyn first came to St. Jude at just over a year old when she was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer. Despite all she’s been through, her smile shines bright.
-
Meet Mia
Mia is a friendly, caring child who was referred to St. Jude from her home country of Nicaragua when she was 5 years old. She was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a malignant tumor in her brain.
-
Meet Luis
Like many boys his age, Luis wanted to be a soccer player when he grew up. But then he was diagnosed with cancer. Now he wants to help kids like him.
-
Meet Brinley
In 2015, Brinley was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. She was cancer free for more than two years when, in 2019, her family learned the cancer had returned.
-
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.
-
How St. Jude patients spent their time during quarantine
While difficult at times, quarantining during COVID-19 has allowed St. Jude patients and their families, while respecting social distance, to let their creativity flourish in ways that has brought them closer together. See how some of our patients spent their time during quarantine.