Landon has always been an athletic kid. He played baseball and started running 5K races with his grandmother. He was hooked after his first race. Not only did Landon like running, but he also developed a love for competing in triathlons for kids, which include a 100 meter swim, a three-mile bike ride and a one-mile run.
But during the summer of 2015, Landon slowed down. He started to complain of stomach pains, which worsened over time. When tests revealed Landon had a tumor identified as stage IV neuroblastoma, his family was devastated. Landon and his mom, Charlee, were flown to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital immediately.
Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90%, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
At St. Jude, Landon’s treatment included chemotherapy, antibody treatment and radiation therapy, as well as his dad’s natural killer (NK) cells. Landon also did physical therapy, which helped him regain his strength and agility. His love of running and playing baseball compelled him to work hard during his sessions.
“We’re grateful to St. Jude for everything,” said Charlee. “They made it so much easier for us. As soon as we got here, there was a plan. They know what needs to be done and they do it. That takes a lot off a parent’s shoulder.”
Since finishing treatment in November, Landon is thriving. He's on his school’s honor roll and has a new dog to play with, but what he’s really looking forward to is getting back to sports. Landon and his family are signed up to run a 5K in April and, after that, it will be time for Landon to start baseball. “He likes being outdoors and playing with his friends,” Charlee said. “He wants to be the best at whatever he does.”
Landon returns to St. Jude for regular checkups.
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Landon's, 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.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Cameron
Cameron is an exceptionally caring boy who has charisma and a resilience that's helping him push through while he's treated for medulloblastoma at St. Jude.
-
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - Meet Tony
Tony wasn’t quite a year old when his family learned he suffered from ALL, a type of blood cancer. At St. Jude, he began chemotherapy immediately.
-
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - Meet Myra
Myra was experiencing severe headaches, and it was discovered to be a rare form of lymphoma called primary CNS ALCL.
-
Meet Harper
When Harper and her family discovered she had cancer, they approached her treatment like they approach sports — with the determination that she could beat it.
-
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - Meet Joanna
In 2017, 9-year-old Joanna was found to have medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, and began treatment at St. Jude.
-
Meet Zac
By the age of 7, Zac had already completed treatment for blood cancer. Four years later, when he was diagnosed with bone cancer, his family turned to St. Jude.
-
Meet Jason
Former patient Jason now works at St. Jude and goes the extra mile with the St. Jude Ride.
-
Meet Felicity
With a diagnosis of 5 tumors in her brain and spine, Felicity is facing a struggle, but you wouldn't know it but you wouldn't know it by the constant smile on her face.
-
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - Meet Karique
As he undergoes treatment for retinoblastoma, Karique and his family have been on a difficult journey that's taken them from Antigua to St. Jude.
-
Meet Dakota
It's hard to keep patient Dakota away from the kitchen, and thanks to the Nutriolicious cooking classes at St. Jude, he doesn't have to be away for long.
-
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 Max
When Max's parents became Partners In Hope, they never would have guessed that they would be supporting their own son, who's undergoing treatment for anaplastic ependymoma.
-
Meet Anna
Patient Anna wasn't able to celebrate her 16th birthday at home. Instead, a group of friends from her hometown made the journey to St. Jude, making her birthday a sweet success.
-
Meet the dads of St. Jude
Marcus, Ricardo and Gustavo never thought that they would arrive in Memphis, Tenn. (where St. Jude is located) to care for their sick children. But they've found a second home at the hospital that has worked to save their children's' lives.
-
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.
